Recalled veteran and former captain Najeeb Amar is a "big-game player" and is a welcome addition to the squad said his successor as skipper, Jamie Atkinson, as Hong Kong aim to qualify for the Super 10 stage at the ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh next month.
Hong Kong left yesterday for Colombo, Sri Lanka, the first of two stops - the other being Dubai - in the build-up to the ICC extravaganza with Atkinson greeting the return of the 42-year-old Najeeb, who is back after nearly a three-year absence.
"I have played with Najeeb ever since I came into the Hong Kong set up and I have known him a long time. We have played under different captains ourselves. We get on well and it will be easy for him to be back in national colours," said Atkinson.
They are both big-game players who have had great success with Hong Kong
Atkinson took over from Najeeb, who retired in May 2011, after leading Hong Kong to a successful campaign at the ICC World Cricket League Division Two tournament in Dubai. Atkinson was 21 then, and the youngest player to lead Hong Kong.
Left-arm spinner Najeeb's return from retirement might have come as a surprise to many but it was a carefully thought-out strategy by Charlie Burke, director of cricket and head coach, and the selectors who had wanted banned bowler Munir Dar in the side for his explosive batting.
Dar has been banned by the ICC for a year for an illegal action but can be picked as a batsman.
Having played previously as a professional in Bangladesh, it was felt he was worth taking along as a batsman with Najeeb's spin also useful on the spin-friendly tracks in Chittagong.