Hong Kong cricket captain Nizakat Khan says playing India and Pakistan is ‘the best motivation you can get’

Hong Kong start their Asia Cup campaign against the best T20 team in the world on Wednesday, and skipper Nizakat Khan said the chance to play against India was “the best motivation you can get”.

While a side boasting the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma should be expected to win quite comfortably, Hong Kong have pushed India close in the past, losing a 50-over encounter by just 27 runs in the same competition in 2018.

Khan, who scored 92 in that game, said his side’s approach would be similar this time around and noted that “anything is possible in T20 matches”.

“If you look at the past record, many so-called big teams were beaten by newcomers,” he said. “It’s a huge opportunity for us to take on India and Pakistan. It’s not every day you get to rub shoulders with some world-class cricketers. As a side, we are aware what the challenge looks like but as professional cricketers, this is why you play the game. We are really excited as a team.

“Playing against them will be special. We want to emulate Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and [Pakistan’s] Babar Azam.”

Hong Kong enter the game on the back of a gruelling three-month tour, which has seen them play in Namibia, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Jersey, and finally Oman, where they won the right to play in the Asia Cup.