Record T20 international total for Hong Kong as they beat Japan in East Asia Cup final

Hong Kong have won cricket’s East Asia Cup by beating Japan on home soil in Saturday’s final.

The hosts posted their highest-ever T20 international total, hammering 219 for 7, with skipper Nizakat Khan equalling his career-best score of 81 from 48 deliveries, smashing four sixes in his match-winning knock.

Nasrulla Rana put the finishing touches on the record-setting innings with four consecutive maximums off the last four balls, three of which sailed over the straight boundary.

Hong Kong went on to prevail by 35 runs after Japan reached 184 for eight at the end of their 20 overs at Kowloon’s Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground.

In their chase, Japan lost their openers within the first four overs. Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming chipped Ehsan Khan to Anshuman Rath at mid off before Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake perished to a stunning one-handed catch by Babar Hayat at long on to give Yasim Murtaza his first wicket.

Both Ehsan and Murtaza would take two more wickets, and despite some useful cameos down the order, Japan were never really in the chase. Declan Suzuki-McComb top-scored with 37, but like the rest of the Japanese batting line-up, he could not convert it into a big score.