Hong Kong’s Nizakat Khan recalls 2014 upset over Bangladesh
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Hong Kong campaign kicks off against Afghanistan, opening this year’s Asia Cup today. Notably, the team had not held any official press conference beforehand. At the request of journalists traveling from Bangladesh, Hong Kong’s Nizakat Khan finally spoke to the press.
During the 2014 T20 World Cup in Chattogram, Hong Kong stunned Bangladesh in what remains their only meeting to date. The sides will meet again in this Asia Cup on September 11.
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That upset was the reason for the trip down memory lane. Bangladesh were bundled out for 108 runs, with Nizakat claiming 3 wickets for 19 runs in his 4-over spell. Asked about the memory, he recalled:
“It was extraordinary beating Bangladesh in their home conditions was no easy task. I remember that match well. At one stage, they were playing well, but we fought back. That victory is still very memorable for me.”
This Asia Cup promises to be a far tougher challenge for Hong Kong. Ranked 24th in the ICC T20I standings, they face three Test-playing nations in the group stage.
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Yet, history isn’t completely against them. Besides their sole win over Bangladesh, Hong Kong also boast three victories in five matches against Afghanistan, though the last came back in 2016. Since then, Afghanistan have grown into a major T20 force, even reaching the semifinals of last year’s T20 World Cup. Still, Nizakat remains optimistic.
“We believe we can beat them. We have players capable of winning matches on their day. T20 cricket is a game of just two or three overs, it’s very unpredictable and fun. Our team is well-prepared,” he said.
The Hong Kong skipper added that they want to play cricket free of pressure.
“In T20 cricket, there is no real threat. If you play well on the day, you win regardless of whether the opponent is strong or weak. We’ve done it before, against Afghanistan and Bangladesh. If we give our best from the very first ball, you never know what might happen!”
