In-form India look to steamroll Hong Kong

India, after their victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening match of the 2022 Asia Cup, will look to get a hefty win over Hong Kong and secure qualification for the Super 4.

Hong Kong, who will play their first match of the Asia Cup today after qualifying from a four-team qualifier stage, are heavy underdogs as they face the tournament favourites.

For India, the match will be a chance to give their stars a rest before the Super 4 begins, considering the humid conditions in the United Arab Emirates.

Players who did not play in the first match are likely to get a shot, especially the likes of Deepak Hooda and Rishabh Pant. The former could come in for KL Rahul, leading to Virat Kohli opening the innings, while Pant’s inclusion might allow Dinesh Karthik to have a breather. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi might also get the nod to rest Yuzvendra Chahal.

India’s target in this match will be to gather a win with as much ease as possible, and off-spinner Ehsan Khan can be the biggest threat in their path to that. The spinner was the highest wicket-taker in the qualifiers with nine wickets in three games.

India will be trying to ensure nothing but an emphatic win, and Hardik Pandya could be their key to that. His bowling can make the Hong Kong batsmen uncomfortable, and his batting kind of speaks for itself.

The match can also be a turning point for Kohli, who showed signs of promise in the match against Pakistan as he scored 35 off 34 balls including a couple of brilliant strokes. Against a weak opponent in Hong Kong, Kohli might relish the chance to find his long-lost form, which might turn out to be crucial in the latter stages of the tournament.