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COLOMBO, July 18: Centuries from Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik powered Pakistan to a 173-run victory over Hong Kong in the Asia Cup Group 'A' match on Sunday.
Younis (144) and Shoaib (118) tormented the inexperienced Hong Kong bowlers during a 223-run stand for the third wicket as Pakistan amassed 343-5 after electing to bat at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground.
The defending champions then dismissed Hong Kong for 165 after the target was revised to 339 from 47 overs due to a brief spell of rain. Pakistan topped Group 'A' and were joined in the Super League by Bangladesh, who had earlier beaten Hong Kong.
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will play each other once in the Super League starting on Wednesday with the top two advancing to the final on Aug 1. Pakistan lost two early wickets against Hong Kong, before Younis and Shoaib sent the minnows on a leather hunt.
Younis hit eight fours and three sixes in his maiden one-day century after 103 matches, while Shoaib's third hundred came with the help of 10 fours and two sixes. Their partnership was just seven runs short of Pakistan's record stand for the third wicket of 230 by Ijaz Ahmed and Saeed Anwar in the Independence Cup tournament in Dhaka in 1998.
The stand was broken after a mix-up which resulted in Shoaib getting run out by a direct throw from Afzaal Haider. Younis departed in the penultimate over when he holed out to mid-wicket off Haider.
Hong Kong never seriously challenged the imposing target, with only Tabarak Dar and Manoj Cheruparambil looking comfortable in the middle. Dar scored 36 off 43 balls with six fours while Cheruparambil got 30 off 44 with three boundaries and a six.
Shoaib claimed four wickets to earn the Man-of-the-Match award. Imran Farhat bagged three wickets. Pakistan made three changes from the side that played against Bangladesh.
They brought in Imran Nazir, Shabbir Ahmed and Rana Naveedul Hasan for Shoaib Akhtar, Danish Kaneria and Yasir Hameed, who was rested after scoring a century against Bangladesh. Hong Kong had a young debutant in 16-year-old left-arm spinner Nadeem Ahmed.
SCOREBOARD
PAKISTAN:
Imran Nazir lbw b Khalid Khan 10
Imran Farhat c French b Khalid Khan 20
Shoaib Malik run out 118
Younis Khan c Nadeem b Afzaal 144
Abdul Razzaq c Smart b Ilyas 18
Moin Khan not out 11
Mohammad Sami not out 9
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-8, NB-2) 13
TOTAL (for five wkts, 50 overs) 343
FALL OF WKTS: 1-33, 2-51, 3-274, 4-313, 5-327.
DID NOT BAT: Inzamamul Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Rana Naveedul Hasan, Shabbir Ahmed.
BOWLING: Afzaal Haider 9-0-73-1 (5w); Khalid Khan 10-1-62-2 (2nb, 3w); Najeeb Aamer 10-1-59-0; Ilyas Gul 9-0-67-1; Nadeem Ahmed 10-0-63-0; French 2-0-16-0.
HONG KONG:
T. Smart c Younis b Razzaq 25
Nasir Hameed lbw b Sami 0
A.N. French b I. Farhat 14
Tabarak Dar b S. Malik 36
R. Sharma b I. Farhat 1
Najeeb Aamer b I. Farhat 4
Ilyas Gul lbw b Sami 1
M. Cheruparambil c I. Farhat b S. Malik 30
Afzaal Haider c Sami b S. Malik 22
Khalid Khan st Moin b S. Malik 2
Nadeem Ahmed not out 1
EXTRAS (LB-4, W-18, NB-7) 29
TOTAL (all out, 44.1 overs) 165
FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-45, 3-95, 4-95, 5-101, 6-102, 7-102, 8-149, 9-156.
BOWLING: Mohammad Sami 7-2-16-2 (4w); Shabbir Ahmed 6-2-12-0 (2nb, 2w); Abdul Razzaq 6-0-30-1 (1w); Rana Naveedul Hasan 8-0-45-0 (4nb, 3w); Shoaib Malik 9.1.1.19-4 (1nb); Imran Farhat 4-2-10-3; Imran Nazir 4-0-29-0 (3w).
RESULT: Pakistan won by 173 runs (Hong Kong's target was revised to 339 in 47 overs under D/L Method).
UMPIRES: E.A.R. de Silva (Sri Lanka) and B.G. Jerling (South Africa).
TV UMPIRE: A.F.M. Akhtaruddin (Bangladesh).
MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Mahanama (Sri Lanka).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Shoaib Malik. -Agencies
GROUP STANDING
(Tabulated under played, won, lost, points, net run-rate):
Group A
Pakistan 2 2 0 12 +2.57
Bangladesh 2 1 1 6 +0.40
Hong Kong 2 0 2 0 -2.98
Group B
Sri Lanka 2 2 0 11 +1.29
India 2 1 1 7 +1.03
UAE 2 0 2 0 -2.32
SUPER LEAGUE FIXTURES:
July 21: Bangladesh v India (SSC, Colombo); Pakistan v Sri Lanka (RPS, Colombo, D/N).
July 23: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (RPS, Colombo, D/N).
July 25 Pakistan v India (RPS, Colombo, D/N).
July 27: Sri Lanka v India (RPS, Colombo, D/N).
July 29: Pakistan v Bangladesh (RPS, Colombo, D/N).
Aug 1: Final (RPS, Colombo, D/N)
Aug 2: Reserve day for final.
