T20 World Cup qualifier: Hong Kong lose to Uganda by two wickets in low-scoring affair in Zimbabwe
- Hong Kong restricted to 87 for nine in opening Group B game in Bulawayo
- Riazat Ali Shah hits unbeaten 28 and Dinesh Nakrani takes four wickets for Uganda
Riazat Ali Khan’s hit an unbeaten 28 and Dinesh Nakrani took four wickets for just 12 runs as Uganda beat Hong Kong by two wickets in their opening game of the T20 World Cup qualifiers in Uganda on Monday.
In a low-scoring game that went down to the wire, Riazat and bowler Cosmas Kyewuta scrambled the two runs they needed to win with just three balls and two wickets remaining.
Hong Kong ultimately paid the price for a bad day with the bat, where they were restricted to 87 for nine from their 20 overs.
Still, they came within a whisker of pulling off an unlikely victory, as Uganda did their best to throw away a game they should have won with ease.
Aizaz Khan gave his side a glimmer of hope, taking three wickets at the start of the innings to leave Uganda wobbling on 23 for three, and the loss of Ronak Patel, who at one stage looked like he might win the game on his own, turned the wobble into a collapse.
Last month, Hong Kong bowled Uganda out for 94 in their Challenge League B encounter and when it became 63 for seven, Hong Kong must have fancied their chances of defending their low total.
But Riazat and Frank Nsuguba (10) steadied things, and although their side needed the final over, Uganda ultimately got across the line with balls to spare as they finished on 88 for eight.
Fittingly, on a day Hong Kong will want to forget in a hurry, the winning runs came when Riazat skied a Haroon Arshad delivery to third man and Aizaz Khan was unable to get his hands on the ball as he dove to take the catch.