Before the qualifiers began, the United Arab Emirates were looking the favourites to qualify. On the other hand, Hong Kong was defeated by Malaysia in the first game of the tournament, their hopes were fading slowly and steadily but a dramatic turn of events saw Hong Kong play out of their skin to make a glorious come back in the tournament. Under the leadership of Anshuman Rath, Hong Kong managed to make it to the finals against UAE.

September 6, 2018, Hong Kong versus UAE in the final of the qualifiers, the cricket gurus thought that UAE’s victory was inevitable but Anshuman and co. were determined to reach their destination which was the Asia Cup. HK skipper Anshuman Rath led the team from the front during the tournament, he ensured that all his players were in a positive frame of mind.

In an exclusive chat, Anshuman takes us through Hong Kong’s journey.

Rath is looking forward to the challenge in the tournament. Hong Kong will face Pakistan and India on 16th and 18th September respectively. Rath explained:

After 10 days of playing the qualifiers, Hong Kong will take the field against the Asian heavyweight Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium.

Rath grew up in Hong Kong where he started playing cricket at an early age. India’s 2003 World Cup journey inspired him to take up cricket at the age of 6.

The 20-year-old recalls the early stages:

Rath believes in smart work over hard work but he still puts in his 100% effort on the field:

The 20-year-old then talked about the future of Hong Kong cricket:

Rath also spoke about the playing T20 franchise cricket and maintaining his fitness:

Anshuman’s captaincy was impressive in the qualifiers, he was pro-active on the field and his approach was crystal clear.

When asked about the captain he would like to replicate he said:

Speaking about associate cricket and the advancement they have made, Rath said:

Rath has established himself in the Hong Kong cricket circuit and is amongst Hong Kong’s best. His leadership skills are bound to improve even further as time progresses. It will be fascinating to see how Hong Kong does in the Asia Cup.

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