In a crucial game for both teams, Nepal won the toss and asked Hong Kong to bat. It was an outstanding days cricket, with the weather to match.

Hong Kong Started their innings with caution as the first 4 overs sent down were maidens. During the last of those maidens Hong Kong lost opening bat Anshumen Rath caught for 0. Really giving Nepal the perfect start. Captain Babar Hayat was his usual positive self making 29 off 26 deliveries until and excellent bit of fielding by Airee with a direct hit saw Hayat runout and the score 35 for 2 off 11 overs.

Jamie Atkinson was the main stay throughout the Hong Kong innings reaching 50 with the score 103 for 3. The middle order struggled against the tidy bowling of the Nepalese spinners and Hong Kong found themselves 119 for 7 off 35 overs. Damage done by Sandeep Lamichane with 3 wickets for 48 runs and Binod Regmi, 2 wickets for 33 runs from their respective 10 overs.

Atkinson found support from Tanveer Afzal, but when Jamie Atkinson was judged to be leg before wicket for 76 Hong Kong looked to be struggling to reach 200. Tanveer Afzal had a different idea, with patient batting with the odd lusty blow over the ropes Afzal made an extremely important 33 from 36 balls which included 3 fours and 3 sixes. Hong Kong finally been bowled out for 194 in the 50^th over.

Nepal’s response followed a similar fashion of the Hong Kong innings. Sagur Pun departing early after a fantastic catch at slip by Ehsan Khan with the score on 10.

Malla and Khadka then looked to take the control of the innings taking the score to 46 for from 10 overs. But the introduction of Kyle Christie and Aizaz Khan and some excellent bowling saw Hong Kong start to take control of the game. Aizaz Khan claiming the next 3 wickets in an aggressive but disciplined spell of 3 for 14 off 6 overs. Back up well by Christie who impressed with the line and length he bowled finishing with 1 for 28 off 8 overs.

Sheikh and Bhandari then set about trying to rebuild Nepal’s innings with the score at 91 for 5 with 104 runs still needed for victory.

Enter Ehsan Khan. Backed up by some outstanding catching in the field and the Hong Kong team full of energy, Ehsan Khan used all his experience and returned figures of 5 for 17 off 5.5 overs which saw the Nepalese team finish 83 runs short and all out for 111 inside 35 overs.

Focus now moves onto Sundays game where Hong Kong now take a firm hold on the destiny of booking a place at the World Cup Qualifiers next year.