Coming into the final day of the Men’s Asia Cup Qualifier in Oman, three teams were in with a shot at joining the five full members in the main tournament starting on Saturday in the UAE.

The day started with Kuwait taking on Singapore. Kuwait needed a big win against Singapore to lift their net run rate enough to give them a shot should UAE beat Hong Kong. Singapore won the toss and chose to bat first and were bowled out for 104, with Yasin Patel taking 4-22 and Shiraz Khan taking 3-18.

Kuwait needed to chase down the target in under 13 overs to lift their NRR above that of the UAE. They started in blistering fashion with 52 for the loss of one wicket from the first four overs. Three wickets for 8 runs in nine balls slowed them a little, but number six Sayed Monib clubbed 32 from just 10 balls to secure the six wicket win.

When the UAE were put into bat by Hong Kong captain Nizakat Khan, the equation was simple. A Hong Kong win would see them qualify. UAE needed to win by at least 55 runs to qualify. A UAE win by under 55 runs would see Kuwait qualify.

The UAE scored 147 before losing their last wicket in the last over of their innings. New T20 captain Chundangapoyil Rizwan (49) and Zawar Farid (41) were their main contributors with the bat, whilst Ehsan Khan took 4-24 for Hong Kong.

Hong Kong started with an opening partnership of 85 between Nizakat Khan and Yasim Murtaza, which ended when Khan was out for 39 in the 11th over. That slowed the run scoring a little before Murtaza was removed from the first ball of the 17th over having scored 58 and with the score on 116.

Babar Hayat and Kinchit Shah were then able to completed the run chase with an over to spare to win by 8 wickets and secure a place in the Asia Cup. Hayat finished on 38 from 26 balls.

The closeness of the tournament has made a good case for a potential expansion of the main Asia Cup tournament in the future. Only Singapore were outclassed, and would no doubt have also been in the mix had they had the services of Tim David.

For Hong Kong it represents a return to form after a disappointing campaign in Jersey in the 50-over format, and gives them the opportunity of playing against India and Pakistan in the first round. It will be their first appearance in the T20 version of the Asia Cup, having played three times in the ODI edition.

Kuwait were the surprise package of the tournament with their win over UAE and they will be very pleased with their second place finish, showing that their run in the Western qualifier two and a half years ago was no fluke. They will no doubt be serious contenders for a place in the 2024 T20 World Cup with two spots open for Asia and all five of the regions full members likely to gain automatic entry.

For the UAE they will be left questioning the wisdom of changing their T20 captain in the lead up to the event. With the main tournament taking place in Dubai and Sharjah, they will be left watching on in the tournament they are hosting, which is never an enviable position to be in.

The Asia Cup itself begins on Saturdy with Hong Kong’s first match on 31st August when they take on India. They then play Pakistan two days later to conclude the first round.