Hong Kong beat Uganda by 5 wkts in Sharjah

Hong Kong has secured an 11th or 12th placing at the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier after beating Uganda by five wickets in the first play-off match played at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The win was built on excellent batting displays by Irfan Ahmed (55*) and Jamie Atkinson (30), who've been the stand-out performers for Hong Kong at this tournament while Waqas Barkat also made a useful contribution at the top of the order.

Hong Kong won the toss and elected to field. Conditions were fine and warm with the previous days' haze having cleared. The Hong Kong team had one change from the match against Netherlands, with Daljeet Singh coming in for Asif Khan.

After a quiet first over, the Ugandan openers Roger Mukasa and Arthur Kyobe starting making the most of their powerplay overs, hitting through and over the Hong Kong inner ring fielders. Mukasa hit four 4s and one 6 in his 27-ball innings that yielded 30 runs. He fell to the last ball of the 7th over, bowled by Irfan Ahmed, with the total on 49. Another 30 runs were added to the score in the next 4.5 overs as the run-rate accelerated. The momentum however was halted when Kyobe was run out following a sharp piece of fielding from Hong Kong's two youngest players - Daljeet Singh and Kinchit Shah. Kyobe top scored for the Ugandans with 32 from 33 balls.

Ugandan captain Davis Arinaitwe (12) was next to fall when he was smartly stumped by Waqas Barkat off the bowling of Roy Lamsam and when Frank Nsubuga (13) was bowled by Nizakat Khan, Uganda had slipped to 96-4 from 15.2 overs. Jonathan Sebanja hit one six in his innings of 9 before another smart piece of fielding, this time by Jamie Atkinson, effected his run out. Two balls later, Atkinson struck again - his direct hit running out Charles Waiswa.

Ronald Ssemanda hit three boundaries off the first three balls of the last over, but Irfan Ahmed had the last laugh as he had Deusdedit Muhumza expertly caught by Waqas Barkat, running towards a third man position to give him his second wicket. Irfan then grabbed his third wicket when Ssemanda was caught in the deep by Nizakat Khan off the last ball of the innings.

Irfan had the best bowling figures for Hong Kong, claiming 3-32 from his four overs while Roy Lamsam bowled well to pick up 1-15 from his four over spell. Nizakat Khan was the other wicket-taker or Hong Kong.

Irfan was back in the middle shortly afterwards with his opening partner Waqas Barkat. Together the pair set about the chasing down the Ugandan total. They did so in a measured, patient manner; circumspect against the good balls but punishing anything bad. The pair added 57 runs for the first wicket in ten overs before Waqas (31 from 35 balls) was caught by Ssemanda off the bowling of Muhumuza.

Jamie Atkinson came to the crease and instantly the run-rate began to accelerate. The young captain has been in a rich vein of form during this tournament and the runs continued to flow from his bat again. He and Irfan put together a partnership worth 53 runs before Atkinson was bowled for 30; his runs coming off just 18 balls, including four 4s and one 6.

With only 21 runs needed from the last 4.5 overs, Hong Kong looked well in the box seat to pull off a comfortable victory. But a mini-collapse followed as Nizakat Khan (2), Roy Lamsam (2) and Courtney Kruger (0) fell in quick succession. Babar Hayat calmed Hong Kong's nerves with a huge six that cleared the stadium grandstand. Irfan then brought up his fourth half-century of the tournament with a quick single through the covers and, shortly afterwards, settled proceedings with a lofted drive over mid-wicket. Irfan finished unbeaten on 55 - his runs coming off 51 balls, including three 4s and two 6s.

Irfan won his second Man of the Match award for his superb all round performance with bat and ball.

Scorecard: Hong Kong v Uganda

Hong Kong's final match of the tournament will be against the USA on 23rd March 2012. The match will be played at the ICC Global Cricket Academy and will start at 2PM local time (6PM in Hong Kong).