Pakistan vs Hong Kong Prediction: Pakistan are coming into the tournament as favourites

Pakistan and Hong Kong are going head to head in the second quarter-finals of the Asian Games 2023 at Zhejiang University of Technology Cricket Field, Hangzhou on 3rd October. Pakistan are coming into the tournament as favourites. Who will win this game?

Pakistan has fielded a relatively youthful squad for the Asian Games, but they possess a team led by Qasim Akram that can compete effectively against top-notch opponents. Their roster includes established performers such as Rohail Nazir, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Shahnawaz Dahani, and more. This quality lineup makes them one of the leading contenders for the gold medal, and their higher ICC ranking granted them a direct entry into the quarter-finals.

Qasim Akram, who has experience playing for the Karachi Kings in the PSL alongside renowned players like Babar Azam and Imad Wasim, will lead Pakistan as captain. Haider Ali is expected to play a pivotal role in the top order, while Asif Ali's ability to deliver powerful shots makes his contributions crucial. Khushdil Shah, possessing a reputation as a formidable ball-striker, is one of the team's more seasoned campaigners and must step up in this match.

Pakistan's fast bowling unit is robust, featuring Shahnawaz Dahani, Arshad Iqbal, and Aamer Jamal. Additionally, Usman Qadir, with his extensive cricketing experience worldwide, is likely to be a key inclusion in Pakistan's playing XI.

Mirza Baig, Omair Yousuf, Qasim Akram (c), Khushdil Shah, Asif Ali, Muhammad Akhlaq (WK), Aamer Jamal, Arshad Iqbal, Mohammad Hasnain, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Qadir

Hong Kong has a significant opportunity to demonstrate their skills against a formidable opponent like Pakistan. Throughout the group stage, Nizakat Khan & his team performed admirably, securing convincing victories over Cambodia and Japan. Their roster boasts talented individuals such as Babar Hayat, Shiv Mathur, Nasrulla Rana, Ayush Shukla, and Anas Khan, among others. In terms of batting prowess, they will rely heavily on contributions from Babar Hayat, Nizakat Khan, Nasrulla Rana, and Shiv Mathur to put substantial runs on the scoreboard.

Nizakat Khan (c), Muhammad Khan (wk), Babar Hayat, Akbar Khan, Anas Khan, Ehsan Khan, Shiv Mathur, Mohammad Ghazanfar, Niaz Ali, Nasrulla Rana, Ayush Shukla

Batsmen are likely to have a favorable time at the Hangzhou venue. Given the anticipated quality of the batting surface, teams winning the toss should opt to bat first. The temperature is expected to hover around 20 degrees Celsius, and there is currently no precipitation forecasted for Hangzhou. Pakistan enters the match as the favored team, thanks to their roster of promising cricketers. Hong Kong might encounter a challenging competition against them. Pakistan is expected to emerge victorious in the match.