Hong Kong vs Malaysia Asian Games Preview & Tips - Hong Kong tipped for crucial Asian Games win

Malaysia were swatted aside by the UAE in their last match as they were beaten by 59 runs after conceding 216 runs. 

While their four-wicket win was not the most convincing, the conditions were clearly not particularly batting friendly. Heading into a major tournament, building a winning run is all that matters, and that is exactly what Hong Kong have done. Wins over Oman and Japan means Hong Kong arrive in some form, and they will be confident against an opponent that they have had the better of in their last four meetings. 

With Oman to come, Hong Kong will fancy their chances of getting out of Group B. While a knockout match against any of the top sides will likely prove too big a challenge for Hong Kong, making it out of the group would see them underline their budding ability in the game. 

Bowling first, Malaysia could not stop the UAE from smashing their way to 216/3 as their bowlers took some real punishment. While they would have hoped to have made the most out of what looked like good conditions to bat on, they would have known the game was up long before they saw Syed Aziz depart for 57 with the score at 138/3 with 17 overs bowled. 

While there were some positives to take from the match, their scoring rate was too slow and their bowlers did not carry enough threat to stem the flow of runs. 

A team that cannot score quickly or keep the opposition at bay will always struggle at a major tournament, and I predict that Malaysia will slump to a defeat in their opener.