DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — India survived a scare against Hong Kong after Shikhar Dhawan’s hundred, as they battled to a 26-run win over the minnows in the Asia Cup yesterday.

Chasing a big 286-run target, Hong Kong gave their illustrious opponents a run for their money with an opening stand of 174 runs before collapsing to 259-8 in 50 overs.

India were lifted to 285-7 by a punishing 127 by Dhawan — his 14th One-Day International hundred — and an attractive 60 by the recalled Ambati Rayudu at Dubai Stadium.

The Group A match was expected to be a one-sided affair, but Nizakat Khan scored a brilliant 115-ball 92 with 12 fours and a six, with skipper Anshuman Rath adding 73 to make India sweat for victory.

Their stand is the best for any wicket by Hong Kong in an ODI, bettering the 170-run stand for the fourth wicket by the same pair against Scotland at Mongkok in 2016.

But both fell in successive overs to give India a sigh of relief ahead of their high-profile match against Pakistan on Wednesday, also in Dubai.

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (3-46) and debutant paceman Khalil Ahmed (3-48) were the pick of Indian bowlers.

It could have been the second upset in successive days after five-time champions Sri Lanka were sent packing out of the tournament by Afghanistan with a 91-run win in Abu Dhabi.

Bangladesh and Afghanistan have qualified for the Super Four stage from Group B, while Pakistan and India joined them from Group A.

The top two teams from the Super Four will play the September 28 final in Dubai.

Dhawan and the recalled Rayudu steered India to 285-7 in 50 overs after Hong Kong won the toss and opted to field first.

India, resting KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya in anticipation of an easy game, were helped to the total by an innings-building 116-run stand between Dhawan and Rayudu, after skipper Rohit Sharma failed to capitalise on an inexperienced bowling attack by falling on 23.

But Dhawan ensured he used the game as good practice ahead of the “match of the tournament” against arch-rivals Pakistan, as he punished the Hong Kong bowlers at will.

Dhawan hit 15 fours and two sixes during his 120-ball knock. But once Dhawan and Rayudu fell India lost their way, with Mahendra Singh Dhoni falling without scoring.

It was left to Dinesh Karthik (33) and Kedar Jadhav (28 not out) to ensure India got beyond the 280 mark.

The total was much lower than India’s 374-4 in the only previous match between the two teams in Karachi in the 2008 Asia Cup.

Scoreboard

India

R Sharma c Nizakat b Ehsan 23

S Dhawan c Afzal b Shah 127

A Rayudu c McKechnie b Nawaz 60

K Karthik c Hayat b Shah 33

M Dhoni c McKechnie b Ehsan 0

K Jadhav not out 28

B Kumar c Rath b Shah 9

S Thakur c Carter b Aizaz 0

K Yadav not out 0

Extras (lb2, nb1, w2) 5

Total (for 7 wkts; 50 overs) 285

Did not bat: Khalil Ahmed, Y. Chahal

Fall of wickets: 1-45 (Sharma), 2-161 (Rayudu), 3-240 (Dhawan), 4-242 (Dhoni), 5-248 (Karthik), 6-277 (Kumar), 7-282 (Thakur)

Bowling: Afzal 4-0-34-0, Nawaz 8-0-50-1 (1nb, 1w), Aizaz 8-0-41-1 (1w), Ehsan 10-0-65-2, Nadeem 10-0-39-0, Nizakat 1-0-15-0, Shah 9-0-39-3

Hong Kong

Nizakat Khan lbw b Ahmed 92

A Rath c Sharma b Yadav 73

Babar Hayat c Dhoni b Chahal 18

C Carter c Dhoni b Ahmed 3

K Shah c Dhawan b Chahal 17

Ehsan Khan c and b Ahmed 22

Aizaz Khan lbw b Chahal 0

S McKechnie st Dhoni b Yadav 7

Tanvir Afzal not out 12

Ehsan Nawaz not out 2

Extras (lb4, nb3, w6) 13

Total (for 8 wkts; 50 overs) 259

Did not bat: Nadeem Ahmed

Fall of wicktets: 1-174 (Rath), 2-175 (Nizakat), 3-191 (Carter), 4-199 (Hayat), 5-227 (Shah), 6-227 (Aizaz), 7-240 (McKechnie), 8-256 (Ehsan)

Bowling: Kumar 9-0-50-0 (1w), Ahmed 10-0-48-3 (1w), Thakur 4-0-41-0 (3nb, 1w), Chahal 10-0-46-3, Yadav 10-2-42-2 (1w), Jadhav 7-0-28-0

Result: India win by 26 runs

Toss: Hong Kong

Umpires: Rod Tucker (AUS, Anisur Rahman (BAN)

TV umpire: Shaun George (RSA)

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)

SCOREBOARD

India

R Sharma c Nizakat b

Ehsan 23

S Dhawan c Afzal b Shah

127

A Rayudu c McKechnie b

Nawaz 60

K Karthik c Hayat b Shah 33

M Dhoni c McKechnie b

Ehsan 0

K Jadhav not out 28

B Kumar c Rath b Shah 9

S Thakur c Carter b Aizaz 0

K Yadav not out 0

Extras (lb2, nb1, w2) 5

Total (for 7 wkts; 50 overs) 285

Did not bat: Khalil Ahmed, Y. Chahal

Fall of wickets: 1-45 (Sharma),

2-161 (Rayudu), 3-240 (Dhawan),

4-242 (Dhoni), 5-248 (Karthik), 6-277

(Kumar), 7-282 (Thakur)

Bowling: Afzal 4-0-34-0, Nawaz 8-0-50-1

(1nb, 1w), Aizaz 8-0-41-1 (1w), Ehsan 10-

0-65-2, Nadeem 10-0-39-0, Nizakat 1-0-15-0,

Shah 9-0-39-3

Hong Kong

Nizakat Khan lbw b Ahmed 92

A Rath c Sharma b Yadav 73

Babar Hayat c Dhoni b Chahal 18

C Carter c Dhoni b Ahmed 3

K Shah c Dhawan b Chahal 17

Ehsan Khan c and b Ahmed 22

Aizaz Khan lbw b Chahal 0

S McKechnie st Dhoni b Yadav 7

Tanvir Afzal not out 12

Ehsan Nawaz not out 2

Extras (lb4, nb3, w6) 13

Total (for 8 wkts; 50 overs) 259

Did not bat: Nadeem Ahmed

Fall of wicktets: 1-174 (Rath), 2-175 (Nizakat), 3-191

(Carter), 4-199 (Hayat), 5-227 (Shah), 6-227 (Aizaz),

7-240 (McKechnie), 8-256 (Ehsan)

Bowling: Kumar 9-0-50-0 (1w), Ahmed 10-0-48-3

(1w), Thakur 4-0-41-0 (3nb, 1w), Chahal 10-0-46-3,

Yadav 10-2-42-2 (1w), Jadhav 7-0-28-0

Result: India win by 26 runs

Toss: Hong Kong

Umpires: Rod Tucker (AUS, Anisur Rahman (BAN)

TV umpire: Shaun George (RSA)

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)