HIGHLIGHTS Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong, China, Asia Cup 2025, 8 T20- Result, Scorecard

Back with the chase! The players of Hong Kong, China, come out and form a final huddle before they spread out to take their respective positions. Also, walk out the two openers of Sri Lanka, where Pathum Nissanka will open the innings alongside Kusal Mendis. Yasim Murtaza has the new ball in his hands, and he will start the proceedings. Here we go...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Sri Lanka bowled 42 dot balls, yet gave away 13 extras, which can prove costly in a game of fine margins. So here we are - 149/4 on the board. Will Sri Lanka’s batters make this a stroll, or can Hong Kong, China, produce the spells of their lives to make this chase a thriller? On this slow pitch, the Powerplay batting will be Sri Lanka’s best bet, using fielding restrictions to kill the game early. Let's see how it goes. The chase is about to begin, so hop up.

That control was broken by the partnership between Anshy Rath and Nizakat Khan. Rath anchored with 48, while Nizakat found timely boundaries, adding a crucial 61 runs for the third wicket. Rath fell just short of his fifty, undone by Chameera, and skipper Yasim Murtaza didn’t last long either, dismissed by Shanaka on his second ball. But Nizakat kept his calm, shifting gears in the final overs to finish unbeaten on 52 off 38 balls to drag his team close to 150.

The innings began with drama in the Powerplay. Zeeshan Ali got a lifeline on the fourth ball when an LBW decision was overturned, and then another when Chameera dropped him, all in the first over. Still, the reprieve didn’t last long as Dushmantha Chameera struck, removing Zeeshan for 23. By the end of six overs, Hong Kong, China, were 42/1, steady but not flying. Babar Hayat struggled to get going, falling to Hasaranga, and the Lankans looked on top at that time, where the ball was holding onto the surface for the spinners.

150 to chase? A TRICKY, TESTING, and perhaps just about COMPETITIVE total on a slow Dubai deck. Could it be enough for Hong Kong, China, to cause an upset? Their innings had bright moments but also lacked acceleration at crucial phases, finishing with 149/4. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s bowlers were sharp in patches, but they let the game drift in the middle and at the death, where Nizakat Khan's unbeaten 52 gave his team some hope. Now, it’s all about whether their bowlers can defend this or if Sri Lanka’s openers will crush the chase early in the Powerplay.

Maheesh Theekshana to Nizakat Khan, No, they can't! However, this is still a fantastic effort from them against a top side. Maheesh Theekshana floats it up, full and on off, Nizakat Khan lofts it down to long off for just one. Aizaz wants the second but is sent back, the throw comes at the keeper's end, where Kusal Mendis collects it wide of the stumps and takes the bails off. It is referred upstairs, and the third umpire is called in. However, the replay shows that Khan has made his ground. Hong Kong, China, finish on 149/4!

Maheesh Theekshana to Nizakat Khan, Maheesh Theekshana sees the batter advance and darts in a yorker, on middle, Nizakat Khan drills it down the pitch. Theekshana gets a hand on his follow-through as the ball hits the bat of the non-striker and stays put. Can Hong Kong, China get to 150 here?

There is a slight halt in the play as it looks like Nizakat Khan is struggling with cramps. The physio is out there, and Khan is having some refreshment drinks. He is up on his feet, back and good to continue for the last two balls.

Maheesh Theekshana to Nizakat Khan, FIFTY FOR KHAN! A fantastic knock from him. He is just the second player from Hong Kong, China, to score a fifty in the Asia Cup (T20s). Flighted, full and outside off, Nizakat Khan goes hard at it and slices it towards deep point for a brace. He raises his bat to take in all the applause. However, it looks like he is just struggling a bit with something here.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aizaz Khan, Slows it up, short and on middle, Aizaz Khan goes through his pull early as the ball goes off his back towards point. A leg bye taken.

Maheesh Theekshana to Nizakat Khan, Fires one full and on middle, Nizakat Khan jams it out to long on for a run. Khan wants the second, but there isn't any.

Maheesh Theekshana to Aizaz Khan, Floated, full and on off, Aizaz Khan uses his feet and thrashes it to long off for a single.

Hong Kong, China, are pushing hard to cross the 150-mark. Can they go past? Just six deliveries remaining, which will be bowled by Maheesh Theekshana.

Dushmantha Chameera to Nizakat Khan, Pitched up and around off, Nizakat Khan drills it to sweeper covers and turns back for the second run. The throw from the deep is well wide of the keeper, which does not trouble the batter. 12 runs off it, after just 4 from the first 4 balls.

Dushmantha Chameera to Nizakat Khan, SIX! Wow..that is a terrific shot! Dushmantha Chameera just misses the yorker and serves this full, on off. Nizakat Khan gets his front leg out of the way, gets under it and launches it well over the long off fence for a biggie.

Dushmantha Chameera to Aizaz Khan, Pitched up and around off, follows the batter, Aizaz Khan moves across to scoop it away but misses as the ball goes off his pads towards point. Khan sets off for the leg bye, Pathum Nissanka picks up and has a shy at the bowler's end but misses. Aizaz was gone for all money if that hit.

Dushmantha Chameera to Nizakat Khan, Takes pace off, full toss and on off, Nizakat Khan goes through his push early as the ball goes off the bottom edge towards long off for another run.

Dushmantha Chameera to Aizaz Khan, Well bowled! Fuller and outside off, Aizaz Khan moves across and bunts it out towards extra covers for a run.

Dushmantha Chameera to Nizakat Khan, A full toss around off, Nizakat Khan lifts it on the bounce to extra covers for just a single. He will be disappointed for not putting that away.

Dasun Shanaka to Nizakat Khan, Right in the blockhole, on middle, Nizakat Khan uses his feet and jams it out to long off for one more. Just 5 runs and a wicket from the over. Super stuff from Shanaka!

Dasun Shanaka to Aizaz Khan, Low full toss, on leg, Aizaz Khan drills it to long on for one.

Dasun Shanaka to Nizakat Khan, Good length and on middle, Nizakat Khan nudges it through mid-wicket for a run.

Dasun Shanaka to Aizaz Khan, Slower one, on a length and on middle, Aizaz Khan looks to work it away but gets an inside edge onto his pads as the ball rolls to the off side. They cross.

Aizaz Khan is in at 6.

Dasun Shanaka to Yasim Murtaza, OUT! TAKEN! Dasun Shanaka strikes in his first over! He bangs this into the pitch, outside off, and this one is there to be put away. Yasim Murtaza accepts the width and slashes hard at it to carve it over point, but only gets a thick outside edge that flies straight down the throat of deep backward point, where Dushmantha Chameera makes no mistake. Big wicket for Lanka, as the in-form Murtaza goes back cheaply. Hong Kong, China are four down now!

Dasun Shanaka to Nizakat Khan, Short of a length and on off, Nizakat Khan pulls it from above his head towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

Change. Dasun Shanaka comes into the attack.

Nuwan Thushara to Yasim Murtaza, FOUR! Fine shot! Nuwan Thushara got away with the Free Hit, but the extra ball has cost him here. Fuller one and on the pads, Yasim Murtaza picks it up nicely and whips it away using his wrists to the deep backward square leg fence for four more runs.

Nuwan Thushara to Nizakat Khan, Pitched up and around off, Nizakat Khan forces it to sweeper covers for one. The Free Hit does not cost much.

Nuwan Thushara to Nizakat Khan, Edged and gone? Sri Lankan players are celebrating, but HANG ON. The siren goes off, Thushara has overstepped here, and the celebrations are cut short. It is a No Ball and a Free Hit up next. Nuwan Thushara serves this full and wide outside off, Nizakat Khan throws his bat at it, but gets another outside edge. The ball flies towards the straight short third fielder and is still rising, but Kusal Perera shows good reflexes to pluck it above his head. Too bad that it will not count for anything!

Nuwan Thushara to Nizakat Khan, Overpitched and around off, Nizakat Khan squeezes it out towards extra covers.

Nuwan Thushara to Yasim Murtaza, Fuller and on middle, Yasim Murtaza clips it to short fine for a run.

Nuwan Thushara to Nizakat Khan, DROPPED! A tough chance though! Fuller in length and outside off, Nizakat Khan reaches out to guide it away, but gets a thick outside edge wide of the keeper. Kusal Mendis flings himself to his right and extends his right glove, but it just does not stick in. It would have been a stunner. The batters cross.

Hong Kong, China, would be aiming for a big finish, but the pitch is slow, and it is pretty tough to hit through the line for the batters.

Nuwan Thushara to Nizakat Khan, A good yorker, outside off, Nizakat Khan stays back and tries to paddle it, but plays all over it.

Dushmantha Chameera to Yasim Murtaza, Hard length and around leg, Yasim Murtaza nudges it to short fine and wants the run but is sent back.

The skipper, Yasim Murtaza, walks in next to bat at 5.

Dushmantha Chameera to Anshy Rath, OUT! TAKEN! Anshy Rath falls just short of a well-deserved fifty! Dushmantha Chameera lands this back of a length and on off, and it does not bounce that much. Rath keeps his weight on the front foot and heaves it away, but fails to get the connection right. He hits it from the bottom half as the ball goes flat and in the air wide towards deep square leg. Kamindu Mendis runs to his right a bit and pouches it safely before tumbling onto the ground. The budding 61-run stand has been broken, and Hong Kong, China are 118/3 now.

Dushmantha Chameera to Anshy Rath, On a length and on off, Anshy Rath pushes it towards covers.

Dushmantha Chameera to Nizakat Khan, Dushmantha Chameera bangs in a quick bouncer, on middle, takes off viciously, Nizakat Khan tries to ramp it away but misses as the ball is still rising. Kusal Mendis collects and has a throw at the stumps but misses. There is no backup, and the batters steal a bye.

Dushmantha Chameera to Nizakat Khan, FOUR! The boundaries keep coming for Hong Kong, China! Chameera hits the length hard, on middle and off. Nizakat Khan comes down the track, stays leg side of the ball and swats it to the right of the mid off for a boundary.

Dushmantha Chameera to Anshy Rath, Back of a length and around off, Anshy Rath stays back and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Change. Dushmantha Chameera returns to the attack.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Anshy Rath, Tossed it up and around middle, swept away to deep mid-wicket for one. Hong Kong, China are 112/2 after 15 overs.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Anshy Rath, Slower and fuller, around middle, pushed back to the bowler.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Anshy Rath, FOUR! SLASHED! Full and outside off, Anshy Rath uses his feet and smokes it to the right of the long off fielder for a boundary.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Anshy Rath, Much fuller and down leg, Rath sits down and looks to sweep it but misses. Gets pinged on the front pad.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Nizakat Khan, Slower and fuller, outside off, Nizakat Khan chips it over the leaping bowler and collects one more. Also, that brings the 50-run partnership for this pair.

Maheesh Theekshana has gone off the field, but we are unsure of the exact reason. Also, news coming in from Abu Dhabi is that the UAE have beaten Oman by 42 runs to open their account. That also means that India have qualified for the Super Four.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Anshy Rath, Short and outside off, dragged down to long on for a single.

Maheesh Theekshana to Nizakat Khan, FOUR! GOOD SHOT! Short and wide outside off, Nizakat Khan crouches and cuts it well towards deep backward point. The fielder from deep point runs across to his left and puts in a dive to cut it off but fails to stop the ball from going over the ropes.

Maheesh Theekshana to Nizakat Khan, BEATEN! Touch fuller and outside off, Nizakat Khan tries to reach out to cut it but misses.

Maheesh Theekshana to Anshy Rath, Switches to over the wicket, short and around middle, Rath punches it to long on for one.

Maheesh Theekshana to Anshy Rath, WIDE! Short and wide outside off, Rath leaves it. Called a wide again. Third wide of the over so far. Also, 100 comes up for Hong Kong, China.

Maheesh Theekshana to Anshy Rath, Short and around middle, punched back to the bowler.

Maheesh Theekshana to Anshy Rath, WIDE! Full and wide outside off, Rath lets it go again. Called a wide.

Maheesh Theekshana to Anshy Rath, WIDE! Slower and shorter, wide outside the tramline on the off side. Anshy Rath leaves it, and the keeper, Kusal Mendis, does well to get across to his left and grab it. However, it is referred upstairs by the on-field umpires to have a check whether the ball has pitched outside the 22-yard pitch. The third umpire is called in and he deems that it has pitched outside. Called a wide in the end.

Maheesh Theekshana to Nizakat Khan, Short and down leg, Khan backs away and knocks it down to wide long on for a single. He wants to have another but is sent back.

Maheesh Theekshana to Nizakat Khan, BEATEN! Short and wide outside off, Nizakat Khan throws his hands a it but fails to lay any bat on it.

Change? Yes, Maheesh Theekshana is back on. He has conceded just 8 runs in his first two overs.

Nuwan Thushara to Nizakat Khan, Another full toss, around off, Nizakat Khan drills it towards sweeper cover. The wide long off fielder runs across to his left, puts in a dive and cuts it off. Three runs taken, and the batters of Hong Kong, China have been pretty excellent in running between the wickets.

Nuwan Thushara to Nizakat Khan, FOUR! THRASHED! Nuwan Thushara tries for a yorker but ends up serving a low full toss, wide outside off. Nizakat Khan extends his arms to reach out and uses the pace of the bowler. Slices it between deep third and deep point for a cracking boundary.

Nuwan Thushara to Anshy Rath, Short of a length and around off, Rath gets on top of the bounce and pulls it down to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Anshy Rath is struggling a bit after taking a blow on his left elbow from the throw. The physio applies the magic spray, and we are good to go again.

Nuwan Thushara to Anshy Rath, Fuller and down leg, Anshy Rath backs away and clips it with soft hands in the gap towards deep square leg. He calls for two instantly, but the fielder in the deep gets forward quickly and makes a throw towards the batting end after picking up the ball. However, as Rath was charging back to his crease, the throw hit him on his left elbow. He looks in pain, and the physio is out to have a check on him.

Nuwan Thushara to Nizakat Khan, A low full toss, around off, squeezed away to the right of deep third for a single.

Nuwan Thushara to Anshy Rath, Full and around middle, Anshy Rath comes forward and chips it back uppishly to the right of the bowler. Nuwan Thushara tries to extend his right hand and take this sharp returning catch, but fails, and the ball evades him to roll away to long off. A single taken. Call it half a chance.

Charith Asalanka to Anshy Rath, Fuller and down leg, Rath strides forward and flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single. Hong Kong, China are 84/2 after 12 overs.

Charith Asalanka to Nizakat Khan, Short and on the pads, tucked to the right of mid-wicket for a single more by Khan.

Charith Asalanka to Nizakat Khan, FOUR! MUSCLED! Flatter, full and around middle, Nizakat Khan uses his feet and whacks it straight down the ground to beat the diving long on fielder to his left for a boundary.

Charith Asalanka to Anshy Rath, Quicker but on the pads, knocked down to wide long on for one by Rath.

Charith Asalanka to Anshy Rath, FOUR! SHOT OF THE MATCH! Slower and fuller, around middle, Anshy Rath backs away, gets underneath it and goes inside out. Lofts it over covers for a boundary. Holds the pose as well.

Charith Asalanka to Nizakat Khan, Sliding on the pads, swept away to deep backward square leg for a single.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Nizakat Khan, Touch short and outside off, Khan comes forward and tickles it towards short fine for a single.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Anshy Rath, Much shorter and around off, Rath eases it down to long on for a single.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Nizakat Khan, Short and outside off, dabbed down towards point for one.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Nizakat Khan, How did that miss the stumps? Shorter and slower, turns back in, Nizakat Khan sits down on one knee and looks to slog-sweep it but gets beaten on the inside edge. The ball goes over the leg stump and rolls away towards short fine off the thighpad of the keeper.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Nizakat Khan, SIX! BREAKS THE SHACKLES! Wanindu tosses it up, full and around middle, Nizakat Khan uses his feet, gets to the pitch of the ball and tonks it over the long on fielder for a biggie. It will ease the pressure a bit.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Anshy Rath, Slower and shorter, outside off, Anshy Rath presses back and dabs it down towards cover point for one.

DRINKS! Sri Lanka are in full control of the match. Although they have taken just two wickets, they have kept Hong Kong, China under pressure with some brilliant spin bowling. Wanindu Hasaranga is bowling exceptionally well once again and has also taken a wicket. Meanwhile, the batters from Hong Kong, China are struggling to handle the spinners and appear to be crumbling under the pressure. Let's see what happens in the next phase.

Charith Asalanka to Anshy Rath, Floated, full and on middle and leg, Anshy Rath works it through mid-wicket for one.

Charith Asalanka to Anshy Rath, Floated, full and on middle, Anshy Rath backs away and drives it firmly wide of sweeper covers for a brace.

Charith Asalanka to Nizakat Khan, Short again and on middle, Nizakat Khan punches it down to long on for a run.

Charith Asalanka to Nizakat Khan, Good fielding! Short again and on middle, Nizakat Khan pats it to the right of the bowler. Asalanka dives to his right, gets a hand to it and parries it to short mid-wicket.

Charith Asalanka to Nizakat Khan, Quicker, short and on off, Nizakat Khan stabs it back to the bowler.

Charith Asalanka to Anshy Rath, Fires in a low full toss, on off, Anshy Rath drills it to long off for a single.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Nizakat Khan, Slows it up, full and on middle, Nizakat Khan turns it to the leg side. Just one run and a wicket from the over then.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Nizakat Khan, Another googly, full and on middle, Nizakat Khan tucks it to short mid-wicket.

Nizakat Khan walks in next to bat.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Babar Hayat, OUT! STUMPED! Wanindu Hasaranga strikes! Good reflexes behind the stumps, and Babar Hayat's short stay comes to an end now. This is a wrong'un, full and on middle, turns in and keeps low too. Hayat comes down the track to go big down the ground but fails to read the googly and gets a bottom edge onto his pads. The ball rolls and goes under the keeper's gloves to hit his pads, but Kusal Mendis is quick to gather the ball and breaks the stumps in a flash. The replay confirms that Hayat is short of his crease. Hong Kong, China are 57/2 now!

Wanindu Hasaranga to Anshy Rath, Flighted, full and on middle, Anshy Rath looks to go for the big slog but gets an inside edge through square leg for a single.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Anshy Rath, Flatter, short and on off, Anshy Rath steers it away to backward point.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Anshy Rath, Uppish but safe! A googly, full and around off, turns away, Anshy Rath fails to read it and ends up lobbing it towards the bowler. However, luckily for him, it drops in front of Hasaranga, who dives to his right to make the stop.

Charith Asalanka to Babar Hayat, Gives this one some air, full and on middle, Babar Hayat blocks it down the pitch.

Charith Asalanka to Babar Hayat, Clever bowling! Charith Asalanka sees the batter advance and drags his length back, on middle and leg, Babar Hayat gets in no man's land as the ball hits his pads and goes nowhere.

Charith Asalanka to Anshy Rath, Quicker, full and on off, Anshy Rath backs away and bunts it out to long off for another run.

Charith Asalanka to Babar Hayat, Flatter, full and around off, angles away, Babar Hayat guides it off the outer half of the bat to short third for a run.

Charith Asalanka to Babar Hayat, Floated, full and on off, Babar Hayat uses his feet and lifts it, but not from the middle of the bat. It goes in the air but well wide of long off as the batters take two runs.

Charith Asalanka to Anshy Rath, Loopy low full toss, on leg, Anshy Rath drills it down to long on for a single.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Anshy Rath, A googly, full and on middle, Anshy Rath works it through mid-wicket for one.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Anshy Rath, Tossed up, full and around off, Anshy Rath reaches out a bit and lofts it nicely over covers for a brace.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Anshy Rath, Did that carry? Flighted, full and on middle, Anshy Rath uses his feet and drills it uppishly down the pitch. Hasarange gets down quickly on his follow-through to stop. Looking at his reaction, it does not look like it carried.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Babar Hayat, Fires one full, on middle, Babar Hayat works it off the inner half of the bat towards short fine.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Anshy Rath, Floated, full and on middle, turns in, Anshy Rath clips it through mid-wicket for a single.

Wanindu Hasaranga to Anshy Rath, FOUR! Welcome to the game, Wanindu Hasaranga! He bowls a half-tracker from around the wicket, on middle. Anshy Rath rocks back quickly and pulls it away to the deep square leg fence for a boundary.

42/1? Good or just a middling score? Hong Kong, China, would be happy to avoid losing many wickets in the Powerplay, while Sri Lanka would be itching to take a few more. Also, Wanindu Hasaranga comes into the attack right after the Powerplay.

Maheesh Theekshana to Babar Hayat, Slows it up, full and on off, Babar Hayat taps it to short covers. Just one runs off the over. Hong Kong, China are 42/1 at the end of the Powerplay!

Maheesh Theekshana to Babar Hayat, Dragged back and around off, Babar Hayat stays back and keeps it out to the off side.

Maheesh Theekshana to Babar Hayat, A big shout for LBW, but turned down! Pushed through quicker, shortish and on off, turns in, Babar Hayat strides out to block but misses and gets hit high on the pads. Maybe a bit too high. However, the replays show that it would be three reds, but Sri Lanka didn't opt for a review. A chance is surely gone.

Maheesh Theekshana to Anshy Rath, Flighted, full and on off, Anshy Rath drills it straight to mid off and scampers across for a single. There is a bit of a fumble as well.

Maheesh Theekshana to Anshy Rath, Flatter, short and around off, Anshy Rath looks to cut but this one comes a bit quicker. He ends up bunting it out on the off side.

Maheesh Theekshana to Anshy Rath, Floated, full and on leg, Anshy Rath goes down and paddles it to shor fine.

Dushmantha Chameera to Babar Hayat, Nagging length and around middle, defended off the front foot to the left of the mid-wicket. A successful over for Sri Lanka.

Babar Hayat walks out to bat number 3.

Dushmantha Chameera to Zeeshan Ali, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Dushmantha Chameera strikes, and Sri Lanka have a breakthrough. On a hard length, angling in from over the wicket, around off, Zeeshan Ali presses back and looks to swipe it across. But as the ball gets some extra bounce, he only manages to get a top edge that flies high in the air but goes towards first slip. The keeper, Kusal Mendis, calls for the catch and pouches it around his chest. Chameera is pumped up, and so are his teammates as they celebrate the wicket. Zeeshan Ali departs for 23 (17), and Hong Kong, China are 41/1.

Dushmantha Chameera to Zeeshan Ali, LOW BOUNCE! On a length and outside off, Zeeshan Ali extends his arms and looks to cut, but the ball stays low and goes under the bat to the keeper, who grabs it on the bounce behind the wickets.

Dushmantha Chameera to Zeeshan Ali, Short of a length and wide outside off, Zeeshan Ali throws his hands at it and looks to cut it but gets it off the inside half of the bat. The ball goes to the right of deep third and they run two.

Dushmantha Chameera to Anshy Rath, On a good length and around middle, nudged away through backward square leg for one.

Dushmantha Chameera to Anshy Rath, Hard length and around off, with some extra bounce, Anshy Rath tries to cut it at first but gets surprised by the extra bounce and decides to leave it in the end.

Change of ends Dushmantha Chameera.

Maheesh Theekshana to Anshy Rath, Short and around off, Anshy Rath knocks it down towards mid off and takes a single. Hong Kong, China are 38/0 after four overs.

Maheesh Theekshana to Zeeshan Ali, Short and around middle, turned away through mid-wicket for a single.

Maheesh Theekshana to Zeeshan Ali, WIDE! GOOD STOP! Full toss but down the leg side, Zeeshan Ali misses his flick shot. However, the keeper, Kusal Mendis moves to his left and puts down his left boot to make a good stop to save some runs for his side. Called a wide.

Maheesh Theekshana to Anshy Rath, Full and around off, Anshy Rath knocks it down to lonog on for a single.

Maheesh Theekshana to Zeeshan Ali, Short and around middle and leg, Ali backs away and drags it down to long on for one.

Maheesh Theekshana to Zeeshan Ali, Slower and fuller, outside off, Zeeshan Ali uses his feet and looks to go inside out over covers but gets an outside edge. Luckily for him, the ball goes in the gap to the left of short third and they get two runs.

Maheesh Theekshana to Zeeshan Ali, Full and around middle and leg, Zeeshan Ali tries to flick it off the back foot but misses. Gets pinged on the front pad and there is an half appeal for LBW but is turned down as it could be sliding down leg.

Nuwan Thushara to Zeeshan Ali, On a good length and around off, Ali taps it with soft hands towards mid off and sets off for a quick single. The fielder makes a throw to the bowling end, but he misses and there is an overthrow, but neither batter takes any extra run. Hong Kong, China are off to a good start with 31/0 in three overs.

Nuwan Thushara to Zeeshan Ali, FOUR! Well, that was easy pickings but Zeeshan nearly made a meal of it. Full and on the pads, moving in, Zeeshan Ali shifted his weight on the front foot and looked to flick it but got it off the inside half of the bat. The ball raced away in the gap to deep backward square leg for a boundary.

Nuwan Thushara to Anshy Rath, On a length and outside off, Rath throws his hands at it and slices it uppishly but in the gap to deep backward point for one.

Nuwan Thushara to Anshy Rath, EDGED AND FOUR! Full and swinging back in, around leg, Anshy Rath comes forward and tries to flick it but gets an inside edge. The ball clips his front pad and beats the diving keeper to his right behind the wickets for a boundary.

Nuwan Thushara to Zeeshan Ali, Moving away, on a length and outside off, Ali waits and taps it down through cover point for one.

Nuwan Thushara to Zeeshan Ali, Lands it full and around off, and there is some late outswing. Zeeshan Ali uses his feet and looks to flick it, but gets a leading edge. The ball flies over extra cover and they take two runs.

Dushmantha Chameera to Anshy Rath, FOUR! SMACKED! Full and outside off, Anshy Rath comes forward and crisps his drive to beat the diving extra cover fielder to his right for a boundary. Kamil Mishara could have done better there. Hong Kong, China are 18/0 after two overs.

Dushmantha Chameera to Zeeshan Ali, On a hard length and around middle, Ali presses back and swipes it to deep backward square leg for one.

Dushmantha Chameera to Anshy Rath, Good running between the wickets! Full and around middle, shaping in, Anshy Rath prods forward and flicks it to the left of mid on. Charith Asalanka hunts it down as the outfield isn't that quick. Three runs taken.

Dushmantha Chameera to Anshy Rath, Full and around middle, clipped it to mid-wicket off the front foot.

Dushmantha Chameera to Zeeshan Ali, On a good length and around off, Zeeshan Ali tries to slash but gets an outside edge that rolls down to short third. A single taken. The Lankan bowlers habe been pretty accurate so far.

Dushmantha Chameera to Anshy Rath, Full and aruond middle, Rath looks to flick it but gets an inside edge that rolls away towards backward square leg for a single.

Dushmantha Chameera has hurt his right wrist while trying to go for the catch on the last ball of the first over. The physio is in to apply some magic spray, and he is good to go now. He will bowl from the other end.

Nuwan Thushara to Zeeshan Ali, EDGED AND DROPPED! On a length and outside off, moving away, Zeeshan Ali throws his hands at it and looks to cut it but gets an outside edge that goes towards Dushmantha Chameera at gully. Chameera flings himself low to his right with his extended right hand but the ball doesn't stick to it. A single taken and Chameera looks in pain. How costly will it prove to Sri Lanka?

Nuwan Thushara to Zeeshan Ali, EDGED AND FOUR! Again, luck favours the batter here! Full and angling in, around middle, Zeeshan Ali comes forward and looks to drive it but gets an inside edge that goes past the stumps and races away to the deep fine leg fence for a boundary.

Nuwan Thushara to Zeeshan Ali, LBW GIVEN! GONE! However, Zeeshan Ali has referred it upstairs straightaway. On a length and angling in, around middle, Zeeshan Ali presses back and looks to pick it up with a pull shot but misses. Gets pinged high on the front pad. An appeal goes up for LBW from the bowler and the keeper, and this time, the umpire raises his finger. The third umpire is called in, and there is a clear spike when the ball has passed the bat. The on-field call gets overturned, and it is deemed a NOT OUT. A successful review from Hong Kong, China and Ali survives.

Nuwan Thushara to Anshy Rath, Leg bye! An appeal for LBW from the bowler but the umpire shakes his head. On a length and shaping in, down leg, Anshy Rath looks to flick it but misses. Gets rapped on the front pad and the ball gets deflected towards cover. Both batters sneak a leg bye. Could have been going down leg.

Nuwan Thushara to Anshy Rath, Pitched up and around middle, Rath prods forward and flicks it to mid on.

Nuwan Thushara to Zeeshan Ali, Hong Kong, China and Zeeshan Ali are underway straightaway but in a streaky fashion. Swings it away does Nuwan, on the fuller length and around off, Ali takes a step forward and looks to flick it but gets a leading edge that goes in the gap between cover point and extra cover. Three runs taken.

We are all set to begin now! The Sri Lankan players are taking up their respective field positions under the bright lights of the Dubai International Stadium. Zeeshan Ali and Anshy Rath are the two openers for Hong Kong, China. Nuwan Thushara, with his slinging action, has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. Let's play...

Not far away from the first ball now, but before that, the players from the sides make their way out to the middle and line up for the national anthems. It will be Hong Kong, China's first, followed by the national anthem of Sri Lanka.

PITCH REPORT - Roshan Abeysinghe is pitchside. He says that it is a brand new pitch, but a bit dry as well. Russel Arnold joins him and agrees with him.  Adds that there are a few cracks, and we can expect a tennis-ball bounce. Says that the spinners will have a say and chasing is the better option here, but also does not expect it to change much.

Yasim Murtaza, the skipper of Hong Kong, China, says that his team did really well in the last game and they want to repeat the same performance tonight. On team combinations, he confirms one change, with Kalhan Challu making way for Shahid Wasif. Speaking about the approach, he explains that while winning games is important, work ethic remains a priority for the side. On their chances, he admits that they cannot qualify for the Super Four because of a low net run rate, even if they win this match. However, he adds that the team is quite satisfied with their performances in the last two games and now wants to finish the tournament on a high note.

The skipper of Sri Lanka, Charith Asalanka, says that it looks like a decent pitch and they prefer chasing. Adds that he feels the pitch is a bit drier and could be a bit slower. Mentions that the last game was almost perfect, but they will not take any opponent lightly. Informs that Maheesh Theekshana is back in the team in place of Matheesha Pathirana.

Sri Lanka (Playing XI) - Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (WK), Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Charith Asalanka (C), Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, and Maheesh Theekshana (In place of Matheesha Pathirana).

Hong Kong, China (Playing XI) - Zeeshan Ali (WK), Anshy Rath, Babar Hayat, Nizakat Khan, Yasim Murtaza (C), Aizaz Khan, Kinchit Shah, Shahid Wasif (In place of Kalhan Challu), Ehsan Khan, Ayush Shukla, and Ateeq Iqbal.

TOSS - The flip of the coin lands in favour of Sri Lanka, and the skipper, Charith Asalanka, has elected to FIELD first.

Meanwhile, in the first match of today's doubleheader in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates responded brilliantly against Oman after being sent in to bat first in a crucial match, with their openers Alishan Sharafu and Muhammad Waseem laying a solid foundation. After both sides lost their opening encounters and faced a potential tournament exit, the pressure was and has been immense. The UAE batters, however, didn't buckle, with Sharafu scoring a quickfire 51 and Waseem an impressive 69, helping their team post a challenging total of 172/5. While Oman's bowlers struggled to make early breakthroughs, Jiten Ramanandi was a standout, claiming two key wickets. Now, Oman face a steep chase, needing 173 runs to keep their Super Four hopes alive.

So, what can we expect tonight? Sri Lanka will want to play to win and build momentum ahead of their Afghanistan clash to sort out their place for the Super Four. For Hong Kong, China, it’s their last shot at making a statement before heading home. A slow pitch, spin on offer, and two sides with very different agendas, and it has set up for a fascinating contest. Can Hong Kong, China script an upset, or will Sri Lanka cruise? That’s the question. With that to keep, stick around for the toss and team lineups!

On the flip side, what about Hong Kong, China? What do they need? Win, runs, partnerships, fortunes, and most importantly, belief. Their batting has been patchy, where Nizakat Khan and Zeeshan Ali showed glimpses against Bangladesh, but collapses have hurt them. Their seamers, Ayush Shukla and Ateeq Iqbal, have been bright spots early on, but they struggle to choke runs in the middle. Can Ehsan Khan’s off-spin trouble Sri Lanka’s left-hand heavy middle order? That might just be their only shot at a miracle.

Let’s know a bit about the lions. What does Sri Lanka need? They need consistency, something that has often deserted them in big tournaments. Their bowlers looked fierce with the new ball in the opener, and Wanindu Hasaranga’s return gave them control in the middle overs. Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara are in form at the top, but the middle order still looks fragile. Could they bring in Maheesh Theekshana to exploit a spin-friendly pitch? That’s the big call.

Hello and welcome to Dubai for the only doubleheader of this Asia Cup 2025. It’s Sri Lanka against Hong Kong, China in the second game of the day. Just another clash? Pretty much no, as the stakes are very high where one team wants to clear their objectives for Super Four, while the other side is desperate for a turnaround. How do they stack up? Sri Lanka are coming in high on confidence after crushing Bangladesh, while Hong Kong, China are staring at the exit door with two straight defeats. Head-to-head? This is the first-ever meeting between the two in any format in international cricket.

... MATCH DAY ...

Asia Cup 2025 shifts back to Dubai for a Group B clash between Sri Lanka and Hong Kong, China. This is the final league game for Yasim Murtaza's side, who are staring at elimination after two successive defeats. Even if they manage to upset an in-form Sri Lankan unit, their hopes of progressing will still rest on other results, which is a tall order. For a team with limited exposure at multilateral events, Hong Kong, China have shown signs of growth across their two outings. They were comprehensively beaten by Afghanistan in the opener, but looked far more assured against Bangladesh, even though they eventually fell short. That is often the journey of a developing side, learning step by step against stronger opposition and tougher conditions. Their biggest worry had been the constant fall of wickets, but the previous match offered promise as the batting unit stitched together some useful partnerships, with Zeeshan Ali and Nizakat Khan contributing handy runs. At number three, Babar Hayat remains the pillar of their batting, and much will depend on him to deliver a standout knock if Hong Kong, China are to push Sri Lanka. Bowling-wise, Ayush Shukla has been among the wickets, but has been a touch expensive as well. It’s important for them to put on some control during the death overs as they have leaked runs in that critical phase. Overall, a more improved performance from these blokes will surely boost more confidence in the whole squad. Sri Lanka step in with confidence sky-high after dismantling Bangladesh in their previous outing. It was dominance from the very first ball, with every department clicking in sync. The pace of Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara has given them early breakthroughs, while Wanindu Hasaranga's timely return from injury has added bite and variety to their attack. Matheesha Pathirana has been a bit expensive at times, but that comes with the style he bowls, and the team will be hoping for more control from him moving forward. With the bat, the top order has been in fine form, as Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis continue to deliver match-winning knocks. The emergence of Kamil Mishara at number three has been a major boost, providing solidity at a key position and easing the burden on the middle order. With bat and ball both firing, Sri Lanka look like a team growing stronger with each match in this tournament. Interestingly, this is the first-ever time these two sides will meet in the T20I format, or for a fact, in any format of cricket. Hence, both teams are unaware of the challenges they are going to face. It will be interesting to see how the Hong Kong, China batters face the Sri Lankan bowling attack and how their bowlers operate against a full-ledged and in-form Sri Lankan top order. The Sri Lankans have a strong record in Dubai as they have won five out of 8 T20Is, and this is the same venue where they clinched the 2022 Asia Cup by defeating Pakistan. Of course, the Lankans will stride out as clear favorites, and for Hong Kong, China, it is all about stringing together a strong performance to throw some challenge to their counterparts, and more importantly, gain as much knowledge as they can with this kind of exposure to a variety of international sides. An exciting clash is on the cards.