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Asia Cup - 2004
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Asia Cup - 2004
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News
Malik powers Pakistan to 173 run
victory
COLOMBO: Centuries from Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik powered
Pakistan to a 173-run victory over Hong Kong in the Asia Cup group A
match on Sunday.
Younis (144) and Malik (118) tormented the inexperienced Hong Kong
bowlers during a 223-run stand for the third wicket as Pakistan
amassed 343-5 after electing to bat at the Sinhalese Sports Club
ground.
The defending champions then dismissed Hong Kong for 165 after the
target was revised to 339 from 47 overs due to a brief spell of
rain.
Pakistan topped group A and were joined in the Super League by
Bangladesh, who had earlier beaten Hong Kong.
India and hosts Sri Lanka, playing a day-night match at Dambulla on
Sunday to determine group B winners, also qualified at the expense
of the United Arab Emirates.
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will play each other once
in the Super League starting on Wednesday with the top two advancing
to the final on August 1.
Pakistan lost two early wickets against Hong Kong, before Younis and
Malik sent the minnows on a leather hunt.
Younis hit eight fours and three sixes in his maiden One-Day century
after 103 matches, while Malik's third hundred came with the help of
10 fours and two sixes.
Their partnership was just seven runs short of Pakistan's record
stand for the third wicket of 230 by Ijaz Ahmed and Saeed Anwar in
the Independence Cup tournament in Dhaka in 1998.
The stand was broken after a mix-up which resulted in Malik getting
run out by a direct throw from Afzaal Haider.
Younis departed in the penultimate over when he holed out to
mid-wicket off Haider.
Hong Kong never seriously challenged the imposing target, with only
Tabarak Dar and Manoj Cheruparambil looking comfortable in the
middle.
Dar scored 36 off 43 balls with six fours while Cheruparambil got 30
off 44 with three boundaries and a six.
Malik claimed four wickets to earn the man-of-the-match award. Imran
Farhat bagged three wickets.
Pakistan made three changes from the side that played against
Bangladesh.
They brought in Nazir, Shabbir Ahmed and Naved-ul Hassan for Shoaib
Akhtar, Danish Kaneria and Yasir Hameed, who was rested after
scoring a century against Bangladesh.
Hong Kong had a young debutant in 16-year-old left-arm spinner
Nadeem Ahmed.
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