Big teams shouldn’t underestimate Hong Kong, says Laxman Sivaramakrishnan

Indian and Pakistani fans might be looking forward to the mega clash between the arch-rivals in Asia Cup on September 19 but the former Indian leg-spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has cautioned teams not to ignore minnows Hong Kong. They qualified for the current edition of the Asia Cup by winning a qualifying tournament in Malaysia and beat the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the final.

Led by an Indian-origin player Anshuman Rath, Hong Kong opened their Asia Cup campaign on Sunday against Pakistan. They will take on India, the other team in Group A, on September 18. The top two teams of the group will advance to the Super Four stage. On Saturday, Bangladesh thrashed Sri Lanka in the tournament opener by 137 runs. Afghanistan are the third team in Group B.

Penning his column for Times of India, 52-year-old Sivaramakrishnan wrote, “After a one-off dalliance with the 20-over version in Bangladesh two years back, the Asia Cup reverts to the 50-over format as sub-continental sides begin the final phase of preparation for the World Cup in England and Wales next summer.”

“The five Test-playing nations have been joined by Hong Kong, who muscled their way through from the qualifiers, in the continent’s showpiece event. While Hong Kong might appear the weakest link in the competition, the one lesson that cricket has repeatedly taught is that nothing can be taken for granted.”

HK playing their third Asia Cup since 2004

Hong Kong have won nine ODI games so far since 2004 and only one of them has come against a Test-playing nation in the form of Afghanistan. This is their third appearance in the Asia Cup after 2004 and 2008 and on both the occasions, they failed to cross the primary hurdle.

Applauding Hong Kong’s progress in the 50-over format, the 52-year-old further wrote, “Hong Kong’s gradual progression as a 50-over side from merely being the celebrated hosts of the Hong Kong Sixes is a tribute to the systems in place there. Their reward for qualifying ahead of UAE, Nepal and Oman, is being clubbed alongside Pakistan and India, and it will be interesting to see how they turn up against the big sides.”

Hong Kong, however, had an ordinary beginning to their Asia Cup campaign in Dubai as they lost five quick wickets. But the duo of Aizaz Khan and Kinchit Shah has kept them afloat.

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