Afghanistan opens the Asia Cup 2025 with a win
Afghanistan opens the Asia Cup 2025 with a win over Hong Kong in a group stage match. This was the 6th T20I match of Afghanistan against Hong Kong after 9 years. Afghanistan has faced Hong Kong in the Asia Cup 2025 for the first time and become successful. There is a huge difference between Afghanistan’s and Hong Kong’s T20I rankings, which favoured a one-sided contest.
Afghanistan vs Hong Kong Asia Cup 2025 highlights
The Hong Kong cricket team lost the toss, and Afghanistan decided to bat first. S Atal and R Gurbaz opened the inning for Afghanistan. Hong Kong stunned Afghanistan with an early success in the 3rd over by removing Gurbaz. He can make just 8 runs in 5 balls with a six. Afghanistan played carefully after the loss of a big wicket, but Hong Kong stunned again with a wicket of Zardan.
Afghanistan’s Muhammad Nabi and opener Atal supported the innings up to 10 overs with 77 runs in the team’s account. Hong Kong bowlers broke this partnership with the wicket of M Nabi in the 11th over’s first ball. Kinchit Shah got the wicket of M Nabi when he made 33 runs. K Shah took another wicket of Gulbadin Naib in the 13th over when Afghanistan were at 95-4.
Omarzai fastest fifty Asia Cup 2025
Azamtullah Omarzai made a special shift in the Afghanistan innings with the fastest T20I fifty for his country. He continued the Afghanistan innings after the loss of 4 wickets in a crucial situation. Omarzai smashed 53 runs in just 21 balls for his country and made the final score 188. His wonderful knock concluded with 2 fours and 5 sixes.
Afghanistan started their bowling to defend the huge total and took wickets continuously in the first three overs. Most of the Hong Kong players could make just single-digit scores. The highest run scorer for Hong Kong was Babar Hayat, who made 39 runs in 43 balls. Hong Kong could make just 94 runs in 20 overs while chasing 188.
Also Read: India and Pakistan squad analysis of the Asia Cup 2025
Afghanistan’s first win Asia Cup 2025 helped them to secure 2 points in the group stage contest. The comprehensive win of Afghanistan by 94 runs has boosted their run rate in this group stage contest. This was Afghanistan’s second contest at Abu Dhabi against Hong Kong. Both teams had played against each other at this ground in 2015, and Hong Kong was the winner. Hong Kong and Afghanistan have played 6 T20I games against each other, including this contest. Afghanistan became successful on four occasions in their growing cricket journey.
Afghanistan vs Hong Kong Head-to-Head T20I Record
| Winner | Venue | Date |
| Afghanistan | Chattogram, Bangladesh | Mar 17, 2014 |
| Hong Kong | Dublin, Ireland | Jul 20, 2015 |
| Hong Kong | Abu Dhabi, UAE | Nov 27, 2015 |
| Afghanistan | Dhaka, Bangladesh | Feb 21, 2016 |
| Afghanistan | Nagpur, India | Mar 10, 2016 |
| Afghanistan | Abu Dhabi, UAE | Sep 9, 2025 |