Nisshin, September 25, 2026: Hafeez Khan’s anchoring innings followed by a disciplined bowling performance helped Hong Kong, China secure a comfortable 41-run victory over Oman in their Group B match of the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket competition at Korogi Sports Park on Friday.
Hong Kong captain Yasim Murtaza opted to bat first and his decision paid off as his side posted 121 for eight in their allotted 20 overs.
Middle-order batter Hafeez top-scored with a cautious 33 off 37 balls, including three fours. He shared a crucial 51-run partnership for the second wicket with Babar Hayat, who scored 23 off 25 deliveries.
Captain Murtaza added 18, while Ehsan Khan and Shiv Mathur contributed 16 and 12 respectively.
Mohammed Al Balushi was Oman’s most successful bowler, taking three wickets for 17 runs in four overs. Shuaib Al Balushi, Nawed Al Balushi, Sameer Othman and captain Sufyan Mehmood took one wicket apiece.
Chasing 122 for victory, Oman struggled against Hong Kong’s disciplined bowling attack and finished at 80 for six in 20 overs.
Captain Sufyan was Oman’s top scorer with an unbeaten 26 off 35 balls. Shuaib Al Balushi and Abdul Jalil were the only other batters to reach double figures, scoring 20 and 15 respectively.
Hong Kong’s Ayush Shukla led the bowling effort with three wickets for 23 runs in four overs, while Mohammad Ghazanfar claimed two wickets for just 10 runs. Nasrulla Rana took the remaining wicket.
The victory moved Hong Kong, China to second place in Group B with two points from two matches, while Oman remained at the bottom without a point and with a net run rate of minus 2.050.
