Hong Kong pulled off a pair of shock victories on Saturday (8 November) to reach the Cup stages of the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes.
The hosts recovered from losing to Australia in their first game of the day to beat the world-famous All-Stars and defending champions Sri Lanka.
Teenage allrounder Irfan Ahmed was the home team’s hero, scoring a total of 102 runs in his three innings without being dismissed.
Hong Kong’s performance delighted fans attending the showpiece event at the Kowloon Cricket Club.
And captain Manoj Cheruperambil said there was no reason his team could not go on and win the tournament.
“I think have enough belief in ourselves, we have a good unit, now we’ve just got to keep this up,” said Cheruperambil.
“Irfan has been player of the tournament so far – he’s been bowling well and he’s batted superbly.
“He’s come a long way. When we started practising for the Sixes we were looking at him batting No.5 but he was in such good form he moved up to opener.”
Tournament rules state a player must retire on reaching 31 although he is allowed to return if one of the last pair of batsmen is out.
Hong Kong had a five-wicket win against an All-Stars team containing Sri Lankan duo Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas, Australia’s Justin Langer, New Zealand’s Stephen Fleming, Matthew Hoggard of England and South African Tyron Henderson.
They then posted an imposing 90 for 3 against Sri Lanka and restricted the title holders to 60 for 3 in reply for a comprehensive 30-run win.
Hong Kong finished top of the four-team Sobers Group with Australia second – meaning both teams advanced to Sunday’s Cup stages.
The All-Stars – buoyed by an impressive 32 retired from West Indies great Shivnarine Chanderpaul – beat Sri Lanka in the final game of the day. Both teams will play in the Plate on Sunday.
In the Bradman Group, South Africa finished top and were joined in the Cup stages by runners-up England. That meant Pakistan and the India Sixers went into the Plate.
Captain Dimitri Mascarenhas was happy with England’s first day effort which saw them beat the India Sixers and South Africa and lose narrowly to Pakistan.
“We won’t be changing our approach tomorrow,” said Mascarenhas. “ All the guys know what it’s like now and how it works so hopefully we’ll be better for it tomorrow.”
Sunday’s Cup stages will see Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa and England play a round-robin group with the top two contesting the final.
The Plate will involve two semi-finals – Pakistan v Sri Lanka and the India Sixers v All-Stars – with the winners contesting the final.
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