World T20 2016 Match 10 Review: Scotland earn their first win at ICC global events

Scotland team put a superb all-round performance to defeat Hong Kong by 8 wickets at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium. Chasing a revised target of 76 in 10 overs after rain, Scotland won the match with 12 balls to spare riding on the back of the short bursting knocks from their top order batsmen.

In a first round Group B match that was interrupted twice due to rain, Hong Kong posted 127 for 7 in 20 overs after winning the toss and opting to bat first. The start wasn’t great for the Hong Kong team as they lost their opener, the 44-year-old Ryan Campbell, prematurely for a duck. This was under all possibilities Campbell’s last appearance as a player in an ICC major event.

Jamie Atkinson (13 from 19 balls) was also sluggish and departed before the powerplay. Next batsman Babar Hayat (15 from 10 balls) looked solid and batted briefly with Matt Chapman before losing his wicket to Con de Lange. Chapman (41-ball 40) then flourished and took advantage of the sloppy bowling to forge important partnerships with Anshuman Rath (21 from 23 balls) and Nizakat Khan (17 from 10 balls) who played valuable cameos to help their team reach 127/7 after 20 overs. The rain brought interruption just after the conclusion of the first innings and delayed the start of the first innings The delayed forced the target to be revised.

For Scotland, Matt Machan (2/26) was the most effective today while Mark Watt (1/21), Josh Davey (1/22), Gavin Main (1/13) and Con de Lange (1/19) snapped one wicket each.

The calculated target to win was 76 runs from 10 overs and the opening duo of George Munsey (19 off 11 balls) and Kyle Coetzer (20 off 19 balls) got into the act quickly, adding 20 runs in first two overs. However, spinner Nadeem Ahmed interfered with the free flowing runs after he dismissed the Munsey  off the first ball of the 3rd over.  New man Matthew Cross (22 off 14 balls) too batted with intent and plundered two sixes and a boundary as Scotland reached 56 for one in 6 overs. Cross, however, was dismissed by Aizaz Khan off the first ball of the in the following. However, victory looked in sight. Matt Machan (15 off 4 balls) and Coetzer eventually wrapped off the remaining job as Scotland sailed to victory with 8 wickets in hand.

Brief Score:

Hong Kong: 127 for 7 in 20 overs (M Chapman 40; MW Machan 2/26)

Revised Target: 76 in 10 overs.

Scotland: 76 for 2 in 8 overs (Matthew Cross 22; Aizaz Khan 1/11)

Man of the Match: Matt Machan (Scotland)