Asia Cup 2018, IND vs HK: India beat Hong Kong in hard-fought battle

Asia Cup 2018, India vs Hong Kong - Live Cricket Score, Commentary: Hello and welcome to News Nation live updates of the fourth match of Asia Cup 2018 between India and Hong Kong at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Sent into bat, India scored 285 for seven in their Asia Cup opener against Hong Kong, courtesy Shikhar Dhawan's brilliant century (127 off 120 balls). However, after Dhawan's fall, Hong Kong bowlers shattered India's middle order by taking three wickets in a span of just three overs. The failure of the middle order would be a concern for the men in blue ahead of mega India-Pakistan clash tomorrow (Thursday). After a fine show in bowling, Hong Kong would now look to put up a fight against India after being schooled by Pakistan in their first encounter. So, will India begin their Asia Cup campaign on a high or will Hong Kong produce an unlikely upset? Stay with us as we bring you all the updates of India vs Hong Kong clash live from Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2018, India vs Pakistan Preview: Arch-rivals meet in high-octane clash

Asia Cup 2018, India vs Hong Kong Commentary:

#12:10 PM: Click here for Live Cricket Score of India vs Hong Kong match.

#12:05 PM: OUT! Caught by Dhoni. Christopher Carter falls victim to Khaleel. He took his second wicket of the day. Carter wanted to steer the length ball towards third man but it took the edge and went straight into the gloves of Dhoni

#11:55 PM: Score after 37 overs: Hong Kong 177-2; Christopher Carter 1(7); Hayat 0(6)

#11:50 PM: Harsha Bhogle says: "Even if India somehow squeeze this through, they are going to be a very tired team tomorrow. Anshuman Rath. Nizakat Khan. Well played. Excellent. Day to remember."

#11:45 PM: OUT! Nazakat Khan misses his century. Maiden ODI wicket for Khaleel Ahmed. Nazakat went for the review but gets no respite as the ball was hitting the wickets. A brave and master class innings from him. Is this the end of Hong Kong's might? or there still more twists left? Only time will tell. 

#11:45 PM: OUT! Hong Kong Skipper falls. Finally a breakthrough for India. But what a special innings the 20-year-old has played today. He gets a standing ovation there. Babar Hayat, right handed bat, comes to the crease.

#11:40 PM: Harsha Bhogle says: Looking like a worrying day for India in the field. Well, more than that actually. Irrespective of where this goes from here, put your hands together for Hong Kong.

#11:35 PM: Drinks break! India desperately need a wicket here as things are slipping from their hands very fast. The opening pair- Indian-origin Anshuman Rath and Pakistan born Nazakat Khan -  are making Indians bite chicken peas with their nose.

#11:30 PM: Six! Hong Kong skipper has now decided to accelerate the innings. Rath managed to get under it and smashed over the mid-wicket. Smile in Hong Kong dressing room says it all.

#11:25 PM: FOUR! Shardul Thakur has been very very expensive today. Went for 17 in his last over and now conceded 12 runs already with a ball to bowl.

#11:20 PM: Score after 30 overs: Hong Kong 144-0; Nizakat Khan 81(103); Anshuman Rath 54(80)

#11:15 PM: Fifty for skipper Anshuman Rath! What an innings this young man has played. Remained calm and kept things simple. Never looked taking risks. 

#11:05 PM: Twitter talks: "The way Hong Kong has played this game against the number 2 team in the world, be it the disciplined bowling or the intent shown till now by the openers, I think they deserve to get an ODI status!" says Yash

#10:55 PM: India's struggle for the wicket continues: Even after 25 overs, Indian bowlers could not take one single wicket. Forget the wicket, they have been hardly any instance when Indian beat the Hong Kong openers. Score after 25 overs: Hong Kong -130-0

#10:50 PM: Score after 20 overs: Hong Kong 110-0; Anshuman Rath 34(52); Nizakat Khan 67(71)

#10:40 PM: Highest opening stands for HK in ODIs:

1. 99* NIZAKAT KHAN - A RATH
2. 84 J Atkinson - A Rath v PNG, Dubai, 2017
3. 71*A Rath - KD Shah v UAE, Dubai, 2015
4. 63 A Rath - Waqas Barkat v UAE, Dubai, 2015

#10:22 PM: Hundred comes up for Hong Kong. Score after 18 overs: Hong Kong - 101-0

#10:20 PM: FOUR! Highest opening partnership ever in ODIs for Hong Kong. They are right now on the driving seat against mighty India. If they are through, it won't be called an upset as they have been dominating since the start of the game. First in bowling and now in batting, Hong Kong players are proving their mettle.

#10:10 PM: FIFTY for Nizakat! And he reaches the milestone in style with a six on a free hit. Shardul Thakur is losing the plot here. Bowled a slow bouncer and Nizakat pulls it comfortable towards the mid-wicket for a maximum. Expensive over from Thakur, 17 off it.

#10:00 PM: Score after 10 overs: Hong Kong 56-0; Nizakat Khan 40(38); Anshuman Rath 15(22)

# 09:55 PM: 'Give some credit to Hong Kong': I think its very harsh to assess India on this bowling performance. Lets give some credit to Hong Kong as well. They are playing with strong intention. They conceded just five extras and their openers doing a great job today unlike last match, says Rameez Raja.

#09:45 PM: Four! Second boundary off the over. It was on the pad and Nizakat glanced it beautifully towards the fine leg. The openers are like with ease. ROhit should be worried about it.

#09:40 PM: Four! What a beautiful boundary that was. A perfect cricketing shot straight down the ground. Eyes on the ball and brings his bat down in motion. Connects it to perfection and beats the fielder at mid-on.

#09:30 PM: Score after 5 overs: Hong Kong 19-0; Anshuman Rath 2(12); Nizakat Khan 17(18)

#09:25 PM: FOUR! Terrific shot! There was width on offer and Nizakat makes sure to bring out the square cut into play and times it sweetly to find the fence after bisecting the field.

#09:22 PM: Score after 1 overs: Hong Kong 5-0; Anshuman Rath 0(1); Nizakat Khan 5(5)

#09:20 PM: FOUR! Edge and boundary. Hong Kong off to a good start anyway. It was swinging away outside off and Khan tried to play it away from the body. The ball took a thick outside edge and went past the first slip man. 

#09:18 PM: Welcome back! Nizakat Khan and Anshuman Rath are at the crease. Nizakat Khan is on strike. Bhuvneshwar will open the attack

#08:57 PM: A wonderful bowling efforts shown by the Hong Kong team. Restricting the world #2 below 300 wasn't an easy task for a team like Hong Kong. But their bowlers, particularly spinners, shown the character and didn't let anyone exceot Dhawan settle. However, its not going to be an easy chase for them. We will be back after the innings break.

#08:55 PM: Score after 50 overs: IND 285-7

#08:50 PM: Aizaz Khan to SN Thakur, out! Wicket number seven falls.

#08:45 PM: Score after 49 overs: India 277-6S; N Thakur 0(2); Kedar Jadhav 20(22)

#08:40 PM: OUT! Bhuvneshwar Kumar departs. Skipper Anshuman Rath takes his man. Have India lost the plot here? Shardul Thakur, right handed bat, comes to the crease

#08:30 PM: Score after 48 overs: India 275-5; Kedar Jadhav 19(20) Bhuvneshwar 8(16)

#08:25 PM: SIX! Jadhav goes big. Walks down the wicket and simply chips the ball over the bowler's head with a straight bat. 

#08:13 PM: OUT! What the hell is happening here? First Dhawan, then Dhoni and now Karthik. A brilliant fight back from Hong Kong. India five down. 

#08:09 PM: OUT! Another wicket for Hong Kong and they are at the cloud nine. Wicket number two for Ehsan Khan. The ball tooka fine edge and went straight into the hands of the keeper who was standing close to the wickets. Dhoni didn't wait for umpire's signal. A mini-recovery for Hong Kong.

#08:03 PM: OUT! Dhawan falls after a brilliant century. It was bowled outside off, Dhawan tried to go after it but got the top edge and an easy catch for the man at backward point. Dhoni replaces Dhawan.

#08:00 PM: Score after 40 overs: India 237-2; Karthik 25(31)Dhawan 126(118)

#07:55 PM: SIX! Dhawan has cleared his mind now. He will go for big hits. It was bowled in middle and leg and Dhawan used bottom hands to launch itto the stands over deep mid wicket.

#07:30 PM: hundred for Sikhar Dhawan. He equals the 14-century record of Yuvraj Singh.

#07:10 PM: OUT! Ambati Rayadu falls for 60 as Hong Kong look to fight back.

#06:32 PM: Score after 20 overs: India 109-1; Rayudu 29(38); Dhawan 56(60)

#06:29 PM: SIX! That's a big hit from Rayudu. It was too slow and short and Rayudu pulled it nicely. It was Rayudu first aggressive hit of the innings. 15 off the over.

#06:25 PM: 26th ODI fifty for Dhawan! Nothing changes for Dhawan in white-ball cricket. He reaches the milestone with an uppish drive that beats extra cover. They take double.

100 up for India in the 20th over, with @SDhawan25 making his 26th ODI fifty!#INDvHK LIVE ➡️ https://t.co/E9VsZbcD4e#AsiaCup2018 pic.twitter.com/0BdJ9dI6kc

— ICC (@ICC) September 18, 2018

#06:10 PM: Twitter talks: Very important tournament for Ambati Rayudu to cement his place in the team.. He can be the solution to the middle order woes, says Raghava. Meanwhile, the scorecard after 15 overs reads - India: 77-1; Rayudu 13(22); Dhawan 40(46)

#05:55 PM: Stats: India and Hong Kong have only met once before in ODIs, at the 2008 Asia Cup where MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina scored centuries in a 256 run win in Karachi!

 #05:50 PM: FOUR! Poor bowling from Aizaz Khan and gets the treatment. A half-tracker with dead pace outside off, Dhawan stays there and pulls it through mid-wicket for four. It went like a rocket I must say.

#05:42 PM: Score after 8 overs: India 45-1; Rayudu 0(2); Dhawan 21(24)

#05:40 PM: OUT! No 200 for Rohit today - He's fallen about 177 runs short. Goes for the big hit, miscues it, out caught. Introduction of spin has worked for Hong Kong. Rohit went down the wicket and swings his blade too hard, a leading edge and the ball went straight to the hands of Nizakat Khan near circle. Ambati Rayudu replaces him.

#05:28 PM: FOUR! Back to back boundary. This was another full length delivery around middle and leg, Sharma stands tall and clubs it over mid-on once again.

#05:27 PM: FOUR! Effortless batting from Rohit. IT was bowled around middle and leg and Rohit lofted it over midwicket for four.

#05:25 PM: FOUR: Bowled at 120 kph on the pads and Dhawan flicks it with nonchalance. You can't bowl Dhawan at this pace.

#05:22 PM: Score after 4 overs: India 21-0; Rohit 14(13) Dhawan 6(11)

#05:20 PM: Four!! Rohit releases the pressure after four dot balls. There was no pace in it and Rohit walks down the wicket and heaves it towards short midwicket, beats the fielder and races to the boundary line. 

#05:15 PM: A good come back from Tanwir Afzal. Just four off this.  After the first ball boundary, five dot balls to end the over.

#05:10 PM: FOUR! Gabbar this time. Decided to take on the bowler on the first ball of third over. 

#05:07 PM: Score after 1 over - India 7-0; Dhawan 1(3); Rohit 6(3)

#05:00 PM: FOUR! First boundary of the match: A glorious shot from Rohit. It was full and just outside off, Rohit leaned forward and played it right in the gap through covers. Sheer elegance.

#05:00 PM: Here we go... Rohit and Dhawan are at the crease. Rohit is on strike. Tanwir Afzal will open the attack for Hong Kong.

#04:55 PM: Khaleel Ahmed makes debut for India: A debut for Khaleel Ahmed. He is still relatively inexperienced but is highly rated within the cricket community in India.

#04:50 PM: Ahead of mega clash with Pakistan tomorrow, India resting key players: Clearly India are resting players who had a long tour of England. Dhawan is in but no Pandya, Bumrah or Rahul. So we will only know India's perceived best eleven tomorrow, tweets Harsha Bhogle.

#04:45 PM: Playing XI - Hong Kong: Nizakat Khan, Anshuman Rath(c), Babar Hayat, Christopher Carter, Kinchit Shah, Ehsan Khan, Aizaz Khan, Scott McKechnie(w), Tanwir Afzal, Ehsan Nawaz, Nadeem Ahmed

#04:40 PM: Playing XI - India: Rohit Sharma(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni(w), Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, K Khaleel Ahmed, Yuzvendra Chahal

#04:30 PM: News from the middle - Hong Kong have won the toss and will bowl first against India.

News from the middle - Hong Kong have won the toss and will bowl first against #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/AJM5iRb7gQ

— BCCI (@BCCI) September 18, 2018