Playing their first match of the ACC Women’s Premier Cup 2026, Hong Kong, China Women kicked off their campaign in emphatic fashion, defeating Qatar Women by 83 runs in Group D at the Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar Cricket Oval in Mantin. An outstanding unbeaten 84* (64) from Yasmin Daswani laid the platform for Hong Kong’s imposing 164/3, before a disciplined bowling effort dismissed Qatar for 81 in 17.2 overs.
Batting first, Hong Kong suffered an early setback when captain Natasha Miles was run out for just 1(2) in the opening over. However, the early wicket had little impact as Mariko Hill and Daswani combined to steady the innings and gradually take control of the contest. The pair stitched together a crucial 98-run partnership for the second wicket, frustrating Qatar’s bowlers through sensible strike rotation and timely boundary hitting. Hill played a valuable supporting role, striking 41(39) with two fours and two sixes before retiring out at the end of the 14th over.
With the foundation firmly established, Daswani shifted gears during the latter stages of the innings. The wicketkeeper-batter showcased excellent placement and composure throughout her knock, finding gaps consistently and punishing anything loose. Her innings featured 11 boundaries and ensured Hong Kong maintained momentum through the middle and death overs.
Chan Ka Ying Kary provided further impetus with a brisk 12(8) before becoming the lone wicket to fall in the final phase, while Maryam Bibi added a useful unbeaten 12* (8). Hong Kong collected 42 runs from the last four overs to finish on a formidable 164/3 from their 20 overs.
Qatar’s bowling attack struggled to stem the flow of runs after the opening breakthrough. Krisheta Sarvanakumar was the only wicket-taker, finishing with 1/22, while the rest of the attack found it difficult to contain Daswani as Hong Kong finished strongly.
Chasing 165, Qatar required a positive start but lost opener Shrutiben Kamleshbhai Rana for 1(4) when she was trapped lbw by Siu Mei Wai Alison. Qatar’s innings never gathered the momentum necessary to threaten the target as wickets fell at regular intervals. Krisheta Sarvanakumar fought hard with 20(22), while Sargam Patel contributed 18(21) and Shahreennawab Khan Bahdur added 13(20). The trio briefly offered resistance and helped Qatar reach 70/4, but the required rate continued to climb and pressure mounted.
Hong Kong’s bowlers maintained excellent control throughout the chase. Chan Ka Ying Kary delivered the breakthrough spell of the innings, returning impressive figures of 3/17 from four overs. She removed Sarvanakumar, Qatar captain Aysha 3(5) and Getrude Chandiru 2(4) to dismantle the middle order and effectively end Qatar’s hopes.
Ruchitha Venkatesh provided strong support with 2/21, including the wickets of Fatima Mukadam 8(15) and Shahreennawab Bahdur. Alison chipped in with 1/11, while Maryam Bibi wrapped up the innings with a superb spell of 2/2 from 1.2 overs.
Following Patel’s run out for 18(21), Qatar’s innings unravelled rapidly. They lost their final six wickets for just 11 runs, including two run-outs, as Hong Kong tightened their grip on the contest. Despite receiving 15 extras, Qatar never found a sustained partnership capable of challenging the target and were eventually bowled out for 81.
The comprehensive victory highlighted Hong Kong China Women’s superiority in both batting and bowling. Daswani’s match-winning 84* (64) provided the perfect platform alongside her partnership with Hill, while the bowlers executed their plans superbly to complete a dominant performance. For Qatar, Sarvanakumar’s all-round contribution and Patel’s resistance were among the few positives on a difficult day. Hong Kong will take considerable confidence from this win that also provides a significant boost to their net run rate early in the tournament.
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