HK left to count the cost after loss to Afghanistan damages their chances

Hong Kong will meet bottom-placed Cayman Islands ruing the fact that they failed to take maximum points from their opening two games at the ICC World Cricket League Division Three tournament in Buenos Aires.

Having defeated hosts Argentina by seven wickets in the opening match, Hong Kong couldn't follow it up with a second victory as they narrowly went down by 13 runs to Afghanistan.

'The boys are hurting after Afghanistan. They know they should have won that game which would have put us in the box seat,' said Hong Kong coach Aftab Habib. 'We are now in a position where we can't afford any more slip-ups. It's do or die now.'

Hong Kong fought back twice against Afghanistan. On the first occasion, it was left-arm spinners Nadeem Ahmed and Najeeb Amar who pulled the side back into contention after the Afghan openers Karim Khan and Shafiqullah Shafaq had put on a quick-fire 72.

Nadeem (two for 23) and Najeeb (two for 35) put a clamp on the scoring rate, and were supported by Roy Lamsam (three for 33) and Munir Dar, who went wicketless, but only conceded 32 runs from his 10 overs as Afghanistan were bowled out for 201. Irfan Ahmed also grabbed three wickets, but at a cost, going for 62 runs.

'We did well to peg them back. At one stage, I thought we would be chasing in excess of 250,' Habib said.