T20 World Cup: Simon Willis demands Hong Kong go from ‘unacceptable’ to ‘ruthless’ for crunch qualifier against UAE
- Head coach says players must handle pressure of elite competition better after shock loss to Bahrain
- The result means they must beat UAE – and rely on Bahrain’s result – to keep alive hopes of reaching the 2024 tournament in West Indies and the US
Hong Kong’s men’s cricketers have been told to be “more ruthless” to save their T20 World Cup qualifying campaign after what head coach Simon Willis called an “unacceptable” display in their last outing.
Willis said his side would aim to channel the pain of Tuesday’s defeat by Bahrain into a vastly improved performance in Thursday’s must-win qualifier against United Arab Emirates, with their hopes hanging by a thread.
He admitted his disappointment at conceding 21 extras after allowing Bahrain to post 146 from the depths of 61 for five just past midway in their innings.
His players have to beat UAE and bolster a lowly net run rate (NRR) to stand a chance of progressing to Friday’s semi-finals, where victory would seal a place at next year’s global jamboree in West Indies and the United States.
Bahrain are also in the mix, level on two points with Hong Kong, before their closing match against pointless Kuwait. UAE are sitting pretty on four points and boast a handsome NRR.