The inaugural match of the Asia Cup 2025 saw Afghanistan and Hong Kong clash at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Afghanistan secured a comprehensive victory, marking a strong start to their campaign. Hong Kong, however, had a poor performance, struggling with both their bowling and batting, ultimately losing by 94 runs.
Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai’s dynamic performances set the stage.
After winning the toss, Afghanistan opted to bat first and amassed a significant score. Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai’s half-century performances helped Afghanistan score 188 runs for 6 wickets in 20 overs. Sediqullah Atal hit 73 runs off 52 balls, which included 6 fours and 3 sixes. He maintained a strike rate of 140.38. Azmatullah Omarzai played a remarkable innings, reaching his fifty in just 20 balls and scoring 53 runs. He had a strike rate of 252.38, featuring 2 fours and 5 sixes. Additionally, Mohammad Nabi added 33 runs.
For Hong Kong, Kinchit Shah was the standout bowler, taking 2 wickets for 24 runs in 3 overs. Ayush Shukla also took 2 wickets, but he gave away 54 runs in 4 overs. Ateeq Iqbal and Ehsan Khan each took 1 wicket.
Afghan bowlers proved their mettle.
Following their strong batting performance, the Afghan bowlers also displayed excellent form. They removed 4 Hong Kong batsmen during the powerplay, putting Hong Kong under pressure. Hong Kong was unable to recover and managed to score only 94 runs, losing 9 wickets in 20 overs. Babar Hayat scored the most runs with 39, while no other player could surpass 20 runs. Gulbadin Naib and Fazalhaq Farooqi each took 2 wickets for Afghanistan. Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, and Noor Ahmad each claimed 1 wicket.