Upsets on the agenda for wily Dragons
World T20 Minnows Guide: Hong Kong
Image: ICC Facebook
Quick Single: Hong Kong fairytale comes to an end
ICC T20 World Ranking: Unranked
The Inside Word
If there were a minnow amongst the minnows, this Hong Kong side would be it. Having said that, a heavy reliance on spin and wristy square of the wicket batting means these Bangladeshi wickets couldn’t suit them more.
Captain Jamie Atkinson will be the key for the Dragons, the powerful opener needing to get off to a good start so the game isn’t over by the time the Hong Kong spinners enter the attack.
The Trivia
In 1892, on the way back from their annual match against a Shanghai representative side, the team’s boat was caught in a typhoon and sank, resulting in the loss of 125 lives. Only two of the 13 touring Hong Kong cricketers survived.
Despite competing in all the ICC Trophy and Qualifier tournaments to date, this is their first World Cup or World T20.
The Schedule
March 17th v Nepal
March 18th v Afghanistan
March 21st v Bangladesh
The Road to Bangladesh
Hong Kong snuck into the World T20 after finishing sixth in the qualifying tournament in the UAE. They lost to the Netherlands in a play-off for fifth place.
The Squad
Jamie Atkinson (captain), Aizaz Khan, Mark Chapman, Ehsan Nawaz, Haseeb Amjad, Babar Hayat, Irfan Ahmed, Roy Lamsam, Munir Dar, Nadeem Ahmed, Najeeb Amar, Nizakat Khan, Kinchit Shah, Tanwir Afzal, Waqas Barkat
The Key Man
Jamie ‘Broad Shoulders’ Atkinson – The class batsman of this Hong Kong outfit, the skipper averaged 30 across qualifying to go with his four dismissals behind the stumps. If the Dragons are any hope of progressing to the next round, they’ll need Atkinson to score big runs from the get-go in Bangladesh.
The Wild Card
Munir ‘Money’ Dar - An allrounder in name only (Dar averages just eight with the bat), the wily left-arm orthodox bowler picked up 17 wickets in the UAE, placing him second on the tournament list.
But Dar isn’t called ‘Money’ for nothing, his economy of 6.8 an over a bit on the expensive side.
The Aussie Connection
Former Australian and Western Australian keeper-batsman Ryan Campbell is the side’s batting coach. Fingers crossed he’s been passing on some of his improvisational techniques to Hong Kong’s top-order.
The Prediction
First-round exit – While dreams can come true, it’s hard to see it happening for Hong Kong – especially having been drawn in the same pool as Bangladesh and Afghanistan, the latter inflicting two heavy losses on the Dragons during qualifying.
Regardless, a first top-flight global tournament appearance is still a particularly impressive achievement for a side that was in division six less than four years ago.
Read the full guide to the ICC Twenty20 World Cup Minnows here