India vs Hong Kong, 4th Match, Group A - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Series: Asia Cup 2018 Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai Date & Time: Sep 18, 03:30 PM LOCAL

Nizakat Khan's 92 at the top helped Hong Kong put up 174 runs for the first wicket. © AFP

India win by 26 runs!

Hong Kong had the 174-run opening stand -- their best ever in ODIs for any wicket -- but India had the experience. They were steelier as the match dug deep, and hence walk away with a win, as underwhelming as it is. That first impressions are phoney was never more obvious in cricket than today, where Hong Kong gave a refreshingly different account of themselves against India than they did against Pakistan. Restricting India to 285 and then mauling their bowlers down like they did is no simple task, and Hong Kong should be proud of that. Kinchit Shah, Ehsan Khan strangled the Indian batsmen and then Anshuman Rath and Nizakat Khan bullied the bowlers with *that* opening stand. Such a good game this.

It's a collapse..

Chahal has razed through the middle order, picking the wickets of Babar Hayat, Kinchit Shah and Aizaz Khan in quick time. It's almost over.

Khaleel has two wickets

Christopher Carter edges it behind in trying to steer it to third man. ... But it's not over. Babar Hayat has hit a beautiful six in the same over.198/3 after 40 overs. Hong Kong need 88 runs in the last 10 overs. And just as I type this, Babar edges one behind off Yuzvendra Chahal!

Nizakat Khan ... gone

And just like that, both the openers are gone. Nizakat, who's played so so well today, looked a little perturbed by spin and now falls to Khaleel Ahmed, who has his maiden wicket in ODIs.

Nizakat reviewed but three reds mean Hong Kong have lost their only review.

WICKET!

Ah, how India needed that. And it's Kuldeep who's provided the breakthrough. Floats one full and has Anshuman Rath's drive caught at cover. Hong Kong's captain is absolutely livid with himself. 174/1

Drinks Break..

119 needed from 33 overs. Shardul Thakur came back and leaked 13 runs, meaning he has given away 41 runs in 4 overs! Hong Kong have put up 167 for the first wicket now and are still going strong. What do you feel - who's the favourite?

Only 34 runs scored between 20th and 30th overs

Scoring slows down

Kedar Jadhav, and then Chahal and Kuldeep of course, are bowling with economy rates of under 4. Contrast that with India's pace bowling ERs and you'll know where Hong Kong have lost their momentum. The opening stand is still intact at 144/0 after 30 oversbut the required run-rate is over 7 now.

Meanwhile, Anshuman Rath has his fifty too. A tad slower than Nizakat but this has been a wonderful stand.

4 0

Hello....

I love how first impressions are mostly wrong. Pakistan looked like a bridge too far to cross for Hong Kong -- they nearly flung themselves off the railing and asphyxiated in the redness -- but this is a different day, a different bridge and this might just turn out differently. At least that's the hope we'll be pushing into the evening.

Prakash Govindasreenivasan, yea yea he has a good room view and all, has previewed the game for us from Dubai. Have a read. Also, "a ridiculously hot day," he moans on the chat. Every place isn't Bangalore, thankfully.

It's not funny that India are the favourites on the day Emmy Awards have been announced. But they are here with a bit of prep, having hired a left-arm throwdown specialist to counter the future, let's say.