T20 World Cup spot, ODI status on offer in Hong Kong’s ‘biggest tour in some time’

City’s cricketers poised to return to action with packed three-month trip taking in Namibia, Uganda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, England and Jersey

Squad have chance to ‘show people that even though we haven’t played cricket for two years, we’re still a pretty good team’, coach Trent Johnston says

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Trent Johnston, pictured bowling for Hong Kong Cricket Club, described the forthcoming trip as “probably the biggest tour that Hong Kong’s had in some time”. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 8:30am, 25 May 2022Updated: 2:52pm, 25 May 2022

After two years without any international cricket, Hong Kong face more than three months of intense competition this summer, on what coach Trent Johnston called “the biggest tour the team has had in some time”.

With a schedule that takes in stops in Namibia, Uganda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, England and Jersey, and includes the Challenge League B series, a T20 World Cup qualifying tournament and the Asia Cup, Johnston’s side face a period that could define the direction of the game in the city for years to come.

Winning their Challenge League matches in Uganda and Jersey, in June and August, would secure One Day International status, while a top-two finish at the T20 global qualifiers in Zimbabwe in July will bring a return to the World Cup for the first time since 2014.

“We haven’t played [international] cricket for well over two years, and now the players have an opportunity to go away for over three months to show people that even though we haven’t played cricket for two years, we’re still a pretty good team,” Johnston said.

Nizakat Khan will captain the Hong Kong squad on their three-month trip. Photo: Jonathan Wong

“Looking at the three tournaments we’re going to be playing, they’re all very important. I think this is probably the biggest tour that Hong Kong’s had in some time, even outside of Covid.