Pakistan survived an early scare to stroll to a 155-run win in their Asia Cup clash with Hong Kong in Karachi on Tuesday. Nadeem Ahmed tore through the hosts' upper order, reducing them from from 121 for two to 150 for six, as the minnows threatened an upset in the Group B one-dayer.
But 67 from Younis Khan and a fine eighth-wicket stand of 100 between Fawad Alam and Sohail Tanvir saw Pakistan recover to 288 for nine.
Tanvir, Iftikhar Anjum and Shahid Afridi then claimed two wickets apiece to dismiss Hong Kong to 133 inside 38 overs.
The visitors suffered an early blow in their run chase when opener Tabarak Dar was forced to retire hurt.
And his loss seemed to disrupt the visitors as they slipped from 28 without loss to 45 for four inside five overs.
Zain Abbas and Jamie Atkinson though put on 31 for the fifth wicket before the latter was bowled by Afridi for 18.
Tabarak Dar returned to the crease and made 24, but he was replaced in the treatment room by Abbas (26), and with the most threatening batsman out of the picture, Pakistan cleaned up the tail, despite the best efforts of Najeeb Amar, who made 21.
Pakistan had won the toss and elected to bat first, but Hong Kong stunned their hosts early on when Salman Butt edged a Afzaal Haider delivery behind to Atkinson for a duck just three balls into the innings.
Shoaib Malik and Younis put on 67 for the second wicket before the skipper departed for 35 off 32 balls, brilliantly held by Butt Hussain at backward point.
But if the home fans hoped the visitors would wilt in the face of Pakistan's powerful hitting, they could scarcely have been more wrong.
Ahmed ripped through the hosts' batting line-up, removing Mohammed Yusuf (28), Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq (two) inside six overs.
And when the 20-year-old sent snaffled his fourth victim, sending Afridi back to the pavilion, caught and bowled for four, Pakistan were reeling.
But Alam (63) and Tanvir (59) added some much-needed runs in the latter part of the innings to avoid embarrassment.
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