Zimbabwe relied on their experience in international cricket to tame a fighting Hong Kong by 14 runs in the opening match of the World Twenty20 Qualifiers at the Vidarbha Cricket Association stadium, in Nagpur, on Tuesday.
Invited to bat in the Group B contest, Zimbabwe posted 158 for eight and then overcame some anxious moments before restricting their opponents to 144 for six.
Zimbabwe opener Vusimuzi Sibanda top-scored with 59 off 46 balls, which included five boundaries and a six.
Down the order, Elton Chigumbura played an unbeaten cameo of 30 runs that helped the side cross the 150-run mark.
Hong Kong skipper Tanwir Afzal returned impressive figures of 19 for 2 from his four overs while young pacer Aizaz Khan bagged two wickets for 33 runs.
Hong Kong made a sedate start to their chase but accelerated in the middle overs before losing quick wickets towards the fag end and fell short by 14 runs.
Their players showed a lot of heart and at one stage were on course for an upset win when Afzal went hammer and tongs.
Opener Jamie Atkinson batted extremely well, scoring 53 off 44 balls, but was out in the 17th over.
They then lost Anshuman Rath (13) Nizakat Khan (0) off successive balls in the 19th over.
Afzal went on to scored an unbeaten 31 off just 17 balls but that proved insufficient as it only reduced the margin of defeat.
His fearless batting and ability to hit hard and long, though, was a big plus for the team.
Donald Tiripano (2-27) and Tendai Choitara (2-28) shared four wickets between them.
Zimbabwe next play Scotland while Hong Kong clash with Afghanistan on Thursday at the same venue.
Brief scores:
Zimbabwe: 158-8 (V Sibanda 59, E Chigumbura 30 not out; T Afzal 2-19).
Hong Kong: 144-6 (J Atkinson 53, T Afzal 31 not out; D Tiripano 2-27, T Chitara 2-28).
