Iqra Sahar stole the show on the second afternoon of the Hong Kong Women’s T20I Series, dismissing Samjhana Khadka, Kajal Shrestha and Indu Barma off successive balls to become the second Hong Kong, China player in two days to claim a hat trick. Sahar’s new ball burst helped the home side bowl Nepal out for 56 before Natahsa Miles and Shazneen Shahzad ended unbeaten on 30 and 20, respectively to guide Hong Kong home in just nine overs.

Earlier in the day, Japan were bowled out by Tanzania for 28 — their lowest total in Women’s T20Is — after the East Africans pummelled 139 in the first innings.

Both of Thursday’s victors will face each other on Saturday in a dress rehearsal for Sunday’s final. Similarly, Nepal and Japan will play each other on Saturday morning before playing each other once again at the third place playoff on Sunday morning.

Hong Kong vs Nepal

Hoping to extend their winning streak against Hong Kong to three games, Nepal won the toss and decided put runs on the board. This would prove to be one of the few things that worked for them on a forgettable night.

Lemon Cheung was involved in half of all wickets to fall, including that of opener Puja Mahato who was run out for 4. Yet, her most memorable dismissal was when she spotted Samjhana Khadka out her crease, stumping the Nepal number three to give Sahar her first scalp.

The Hong Kong, China duo would combine again off the next ball as Cheung held onto an outside edge to send Kajal Shrestha packing. Nepal skipper Indu Barma could not survive the hat trick ball, missing a yorker at the base of middle stump to leave her side in serious strife.

Mariko Hill got in on the act, getting Bindu Rawal caught behind off a ball that reared off a good length. Soon after Sita Rana Magar pumped Betty Chan down the ground for four, the Nepal batter skied Kary Chan to Elysa Hubbard at mid off. Rubina Chhetry held strong for 25 off 30 before she inside edged Ruchi Venkatesh onto her stumps to become Hong Kong’s eighth victim. Nepal were eventually bowled out for a mere 56 runs with two overs to spare.

In reply, Natasha Miles got the chase started with a square cut, which raced to the fence. Hill swept Chhetry behind square for four before a huge mix up with partner Miles resulted in her run out.

This would prove to be Nepal’s only wicket as Hong Kong, China romped home with 11 overs to spare.

Brief Scores:

Hong Kong 57/1 in 9 Overs (Miles 30*, Shahzad 20*) beat Nepal 56/10 in 18 Overs (Chhetry 25, Sahar 3-10) by 9 Wickets

Tanzania vs Japan

Tanzania may have lost the toss, but had no issues with batting first. Saum Mtae drilled a few early boundaries through the off side as Tanzania smashed 29 runs in their first three overs.

Erika Toguchi-Quinn pulled things back for Japan, starting with the wicket of opposition skipper Fatuma Kibasu who skied a catch into the hands of Ruan Kanai at long on. Monica Pascal and Mtae were her next victims, the former missing an expansive drive before overbalancing to get stumped.

At 68 for three in the tenth over, Japan would have been looking to restrict Tanzania to a score in the region of 120.

Sophia Jerome, however, smashed 25 off 15 toward the end to propel her team to the highest total of the competition thus far.

Chasing seven runs an over to win, Japan’s innings never got off the ground. Akari Nishimura was run out for 1 by Neema Pius in the first over before Perice Kamunya had Hinase Goto stumped to become the first Tanzanian woman to 50 T20I wickets.

Mai Yanagida guided a cut shot down to deep third before Hudaa Omary ran her out with a direct hit to leave Japan reeling at 13-4 in the sixth over. A procession of wickets followed as Tanzania took the next six wickets in the space of ten overs to secure a convincing 111-run win.

Brief Scores:

Tanzania 139/9 in 20 Overs (Mtae 36, Jerome 35, Toguchi-Quinn 3-13) beat Japan 28/10 in 15.5 Overs (Pius 2-6, Mwajabu Salum 2-6) by 111 runs