World Twenty20 qualifier: Scotland beat Hong Kong to make final

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Scotland secured their place in the final of the World Twenty20 qualifier with a five-wicket win over Hong Kong at Malahide in Dublin.

 

Hong Kong finished on 99-8 and were all out for 116 in 19.4 overs.

And George Munsey hit an unbeaten 25 as Scotland reached their target of 117 with 46 balls and five wickets left.

The Scots, who had already secured qualification for next year’s Twenty20 in India, will meet the Netherlands in Sunday’s final.

That match will also take place at Malahide with the Irish and Dutch as well as Hong Kong, Afghanistan and Oman having also reached the World Twenty20.

Irfan Ahmed and Jamie Atkinson opened the batting for Hong Kong and the latter was out in the first over as he looked to pull a short delivery from Alasdair Evans over the leg side but found Josh Davey at mid-on.

Nizakat Khan made a quick nine before edging to wicketkeeper Matty Cross off Evans and Irfan was next to go in the third over as he was caught by Rob Taylor at cover for 11.

Mark Chapman had looked composed but was fortunate not to be caught at backward point in the seventh over. He was out two balls later for 24 as he missed a straight ball from Safyaan Sharif, leaving Hong Kong in trouble on 51 for four.

Anshuman Rath and Babar Hayat struggled to get runs on the board and both fell in the 12th over, while Aizaz Khan hit two sixes and a four in his 31 before ramping the ball straight to Evans.

Kyle Coetzer signalled Scotland’s intent as he hit two fours and a six in the first over but fellow opener Calum MacLeod was out for a duck when he rattled the stumps with an inside edge from a Haseeb Amjad delivery.

Cross and Coetzer formed a decent partnership, with the former making 39 before finding Nadeem Ahmed at cover point. Coetzer fell in the next over for 33 to offer Hong Kong a glimmer of hope, but Munsey took Scotland to their target.