A four-wicket defeat to Afghanistan has placed Hong Kong under the cosh as they attempt to qualify for the ICC World Cricket League division three tournament in Argentina in January.
Hong Kong will need to win their final group game against Jersey in convincing fashion and hope that Italy don't win their last two games as it would then come down to net run rates deciding who will join Argentina as the two qualifiers from the division four tournament being played in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
'It is not panic stations as yet. I still think we have a very good chance of reaching the final,' Hong Kong coach Aftab Habib said. 'We were in the box seat and had the game by the scruff of the neck but unfortunately couldn't quite finish it off.'
Hong Kong were cruising towards a big score against Afghanistan with the in-form Zain Abbas and Hussain Butt having put on 84 runs for the third wicket and taken the score to a healthy 164 for two at the start of the 40th over.
Abbas, who had previous scores of 70 (against Italy) and 47 (Fiji), had made 69 from 119 deliveries and was looking good for another big contribution before being bowled by Mohammed Nabi, who took five wickets to spark a collapse as Hong Kong tumbled to 206 all out in 50 overs.
All the good work from opener Roy Lamsam, who made a brisk 35 including six boundaries, was undone as the last seven wickets fell for 54 runs.
