AFG vs HKG (1st Match) – Highlights
Afghanistan set the tone for their Asia Cup campaign with a commanding performance against Hong Kong in the first Group B match at Abu Dhabi. Batting first, the Afghans posted a formidable total of 188 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to a scintillating innings from Azmatullah Omarzai and a steady foundation laid by Sediqullah Atal.
Omarzai was the standout performer, scoring a rapid 53 off just 21 deliveries, including five towering sixes that kept the Hong Kong bowlers under constant pressure. His innings came at a strike rate of over 250, injecting the Afghanistan innings with momentum at a critical stage and ultimately earning him the Player of the Match award.
Serving as the innings’ backbone, Atal finished 73* from 52 deliveries. Atal’s innings looked clean and, more importantly for Afghanistan, he built a partnership (even at the end of the innings) with Omarazai that helped Afghanistan push their total into a respectable score, with crucial runs. Mohammad Nabi’s 33 off 26 was relevant in maintaining Afghanistan’s innings, with continual losses. Rashid Khan and some supporting batters down the order towards the death got the total very close to 190.
Hong Kong’s bowlers struggled to contain the Afghan batsmen. Ayush Shukla was the most expensive, conceding 54 runs in his four overs but taking two key wickets. Ateeq Iqbal, Ehsan Khan, and Kinchit Shah managed to pick up occasional breakthroughs, but none could significantly stem the flow of runs. Shukla’s expensive spell highlighted the difficulty Hong Kong faced against Afghanistan’s power hitters, especially in the death overs where Omarzai and Atal capitalized.
Right from ball one, Hong Kong found it tough to build momentum while chasing 189. They were bowled out for just 94 runs in 20 overs, losing by a staggering 94-run margin. Early wickets hampered their chase, with Anshy Rath and Zeeshan Ali departing within the first two overs. Babar Hayat fought hard with a 39-run knock off 43 balls, but there was little support from the rest of the batting lineup. Gulbadin Naib, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Azmatullah Omarzai led a disciplined Afghan bowling effort, combining accuracy and clever variations to dismantle the Hong Kong middle and lower order.
Afghanistan’s bowling supremacy was on display as Farooqi took 3 for 16 and Omarzai grabbed 1 for 4 in just two overs. Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad both restricted runs and got key wickets on time, where Hong Kong never looked like threatening to get back into the game. The fielding was sharp, with two important run-outs of Nizakat Khan and Kalhan Challu putting further dent in Hong Kong’s chase.
Afghanistan’s victory was a comprehensive display of their T20 capabilities, demonstrating firepower with both bat and ball. Omarzai’s all-around brilliance and Atal’s anchoring presence set the stage for a dominant start to the tournament. Hong Kong, meanwhile, will need to regroup and address its batting frailties as it looks ahead to its next challenge in the Asia Cup.
Afghanistan vs Hong Kong Scoreboard
Afghanistan – 188/6 (20)
Hong Kong – 94/9 (20)
Result – Afghanistan won by 94 runs
Player of the Match – Azmatullah Omarzai
AFG vs HKG Playing XIs
| Afghanistan | Rashid Khan (c), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Noor Ahmad, AM Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi |
| Hong Kong | Yasim Murtaza (c), Zeeshan Ali (wk), Anshy Rath, Babar Hayat, Nizakat Khan, Kalhan Challu, Kinchit Shah, Aizaz Khan, Ehsan Khan, Ayush Shukla, Ateeq Iqbal |