The Hong Kong T20I Tri-Series 2024, held from March 10 to 13, provided a valuable platform for three developing cricket nations—Hong Kong, Nepal, and Papua New Guinea—to showcase their talent and gain experience in the T20 format.
Tournament Format:
The tri-series followed a round-robin format, with each team playing each other once. The top two teams Hong Kong Vs Nepal, based on points secured in the round-robin stage, qualified for the final, while the team finishing third played Hong Kong A in a third-place playoff.
Participating Teams:
- Hong Kong: The hosts, currently ranked 21st in the ICC Men’s T20I team rankings, entered the tournament to improve their performance and gain valuable experience against higher-ranked teams.
- Nepal: Ranked 16th in the T20I rankings, Nepal was considered the favorite, having recently reached the final of the Nepal T20I Tri-Series 2024 at home.
- Papua New Guinea: Ranked 19th, PNG looked to showcase their potential and challenge the other teams in the series.
Full Schedule and Match Timings:
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 10 | Hong Kong vs Nepal | Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground | 11:00 AM |
| March 11 | Nepal vs Papua New Guinea | Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground | 6:30 AM |
| March 11 | Hong Kong vs Papua New Guinea | Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground | 11:30 AM |
| March 12 | 3rd Place Playoff (TBC vs Hong Kong A) | Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground | 6:30 AM |
| March 13 | Final (Top 2 teams) | Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground | 11:30 AM |
All Team Player name
Hong Kong:
- Nizakat Khan (c)
- Babar Hayat (wk)
- Ahan Khan
- Kinchit Shah
- Christopher Carter
- Mohammad Ghazanfar
- Ehsan Khan
- Aizhan Javed
- Nadeem Ahmed
- Tanveer Ahmed
- Haroon Arshad
- Zahir Khan
Nepal:
- Rohit Paudel (c)
- Aasif Sheikh
- Kushal Bhurtel
- Dipendra Singh Airee
- Sharad Vesawkar
- Gyanendra Malla
- Aarif Sheikh
- Karan KC
- Sandeep Lamichhane
- Kamal Singh Airee
- Bikram Sob (wk)
- Surya Tamang
Papua New Guinea:
- Assad Vala (c)
- Tony Ura (wk)
- Charles Amini
- Lega Siaka
- Kiplin Doriga
- Chad Soper
- Damien Ravu
- Nosaina Pokana
- Riley Hekure
- Gaudi Toka
- Sewa Gaudi
- Douglas Yanuka
Match Highlights:
- The opening match between Hong Kong and Nepal was abandoned due to rain.
- Nepal dominated the remaining matches, showcasing their batting prowess and clinical bowling attack.
- Opener Aasif Sheikh emerged as the leading run-scorer in the series, amassing 123 runs in two innings.
- Leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane continued his impressive form, picking up 5 wickets in the tournament.
- Papua New Guinea displayed glimpses of their potential, particularly in their close encounter against Hong Kong in the second match.
Final Standings:
- Nepal (2 wins)
- Hong Kong (1 win – qualified for final based on net run rate)
- Papua New Guinea
Final – Nepal vs Hong Kong:
The final, played on March 13, witnessed a dominant performance by Nepal.
- Nepal posted a mammoth total of 198/6 on the board, with contributions from Aasif Sheikh (54 runs) and Kushal Bhurtel (47 runs).
- Hong Kong’s chase faltered early, and they were eventually bundled out for 105 runs.
- Nepal emerged victorious by a convincing margin of 85 runs, securing their first title in the T20I Tri-Series format.
Live Streaming and Fan Engagement:
The Hong Kong T20I Tri-Series 2024 was primarily broadcast on the FanCode app and Cricbuzz.
Hong Kong T20I Tri-Series 2024 previous performance
Building upon the previous information, let’s delve deeper into the Hong Kong Vs Nepal T20I Tri-Series 2024:
Individual Performances:
- Hong Kong: While the team’s overall performance fell short of expectations, some individual players were impressed.
- Nizakat Khan (captain): Scored a crucial 49 runs in the second match against Papua New Guinea, showcasing his leadership qualities.
- Mohammad Ghazanfar: The left-arm spinner displayed his potential, picking up 3 wickets in the tournament.
- Papua New Guinea: Despite not reaching the final, PNG players showed glimpses of talent.
- Tony Ura (wicket-keeper): Played a vital role behind the stumps and chipped in with valuable runs.
- Lega Siaka: The all-rounder displayed his skills with both bat and ball, contributing significantly in the second match.
Impact on Teams:
- Nepal: The series provided a crucial confidence boost for Nepal as they prepare for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup qualifiers.
- Youngsters like Kushal Bhurtel and Aarif Sheikh gained valuable experience playing against international opposition.
- Hong Kong: While they couldn’t secure a series victory, the hosts identified areas for improvement and gained exposure to a competitive environment.
- The experience will be valuable for their future endeavors in the T20 format.
- Papua New Guinea: Despite not winning a match, PNG gained valuable experience playing against higher-ranked teams.
- The series exposed their weaknesses and highlighted areas where they can focus on improvement.
Future Prospects:
The Hong Kong T20I Tri-Series 2024 was a stepping stone for the participating teams.
- Nepal: They will look to build on their momentum in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup qualifiers and aim for a spot in the main tournament.
- Hong Kong: The team will strive to improve their ranking and performance in future international
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- Continued participation in such tournaments will give them valuable exposure and hone their skills.
- Papua New Guinea: PNG will utilize what they have learned from this series to climb the ICC T20I rankings and challenge established teams in future encounters.
Additional Points of Interest:
- Pitch and weather conditions: The series was played on a batting-friendly pitch at the Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground. Hot and humid weather conditions throughout the tournament preferred batters.
- Fan Engagement: Despite the limited local viewership due to the early morning timings of some matches, social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook witnessed discussions and updates from fans following the series.
Conclusion:
The Hong Kong T20I Tri-Series 2024 provided a platform for developing cricket nations to showcase their talent and gain valuable experience in the international arena. Nepal’s dominance and individual player performances were key takeaways from the tournament. The learnings from this series will undoubtedly propel these teams forward in their cricketing journey.
