Everyone has been waiting for months for the start of the 2022 Asia Cup, which in the end moment had to be shifted from Sri Lanka to the UAE. Today was the first game of the Asia Cup 2022 Qualifier, where multiple teams are battling it out to make the main draw where five teams are already waiting – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan.
The Qualifier began today at the Al Amerat ground in Oman and the tournament couldn’t have kicked off in a better fashion that this. Hong Kong were clear favourites because they’ve played so much more international cricket than Singapore, but the latter turned out to be a surprise package that took the game right down till the wire.
Hong Kong vs Singapore – Twitter reactions
Hong Kong batted first and put up 148/9 in their 20 overs as this edition of the Asia Cup is a shorter format one, and Kinchit Shah ended as the top scorer with 34(32). From Singapore, it was Akshay Puri who was the pick of the bowlers with his spell of 2/17 in 4 overs. Singapore got of to a quickfire start with the bat and they would’ve fancied their chances early on, thanks to Aritra Dutta’s 29(16).
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Credits – @FanCode #AsiaCup #AsiaCup2022 #AsiaCupQualifiers pic.twitter.com/8WK6TOzR8c— Read Scoops (@ReadScoops) August 20, 2022
The first thing to notice was that former Pakistan opener Salman Butt was on camera every now and then, as he was appointed as Head Coach of Singapore before this 2022 Asia Cup Qualifier began. Accused of spot fixing and having spent several years in jail for the same, it’s good to see him being allowed to be associated with the game at the highest level once again.
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As for the game, Singapore was in contention right until the end but the biggest mistake they made was that they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. They managed 140/7 in their quota of 20 overs and ended up shot by 8 runs, with Hing Kong kicking off their campaign well, in the hopes of featuring in yet another Asia Cup T20 tournament.
🇭🇰 HONG KONG WIN A THRILLER BY 8 RUNS!
20 needed off 2 overs. Ehsan Khan dismisses Chadramohan and Avi Dixit!
15 off 6. Haroon Arshad concedes just 6 👏
🇭🇰 148/9
🇸🇬 140/7#Cricket #AsiaCup2022 #asiacupqualifiers pic.twitter.com/xJXbTUmgYR— All Over Cricket (@AllOverCric) August 20, 2022
Wow wow wow! What a comeback by Hong Kong 👍. #asiacupqualifiers #HKvSIN
— Aditya Mahato (@imaditya_96) August 20, 2022
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and International Cricket Council (ICC) are the co-organisers of this tournament and they were quick to post once the game was done and dusted as well. Quite a few users were pretty shocked by the way Singapore gave up the game after being ahead for most of it. Clearly, inexperience was on display today!
Off-break bowler Ehsan Khan ended up 3/20 and the 37-year old veteran once again showed why he’s considered as one of the most loyal servants in Hong Kong Cricket history. He attacked the stumps and picked wickets at regular intervals, thus also winning the man of the match award tonight in Oman. Brilliant bowling indeed!
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Ehsan Khan is one of the most underrated bowlers in associate cricket 👌
He makes my best men's associate XI. Any day of the week! 🐐#AsiaCup2022 #AsiaCupQaulifiers #Cricket
— Jay Dansinghani 🏏 (@JayDansinghani) August 20, 2022
Hong Kong beats Singapore in the first match of the Asia Cup Qualifier 👌
📝 Scorecard: https://t.co/GeluQgkg3B pic.twitter.com/fn8fMFT6Jj
— ICC (@ICC) August 20, 2022
UAE takes on Kuwait tomorrow in Match 2 of the 2022 Asia Cup Qualifier and we’ll be covering that game as well, with a match preview as well as highlights and Twitter reactions once the game is done. For similar cricket news from the Asia Cup 2022 and around the world, stay tuned to ReadScoops.com…
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