Sports Desk
9 September
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
Journalist
The Asia Cup 2025 began with a one-sided contest as Afghanistan defeated Hong Kong by 94 runs in the first match. Afghanistan’s batting stars Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai played crucial knocks to guide their team to a strong total before the bowlers dismantled Hong Kong’s batting lineup.
Afghanistan’s Steady Batting Performance
Afghanistan won the toss and chose to bat first. The opening pair of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Atal started cautiously, but Gurbaz was dismissed early for 8 runs by Ayush Shukla. Soon after, Ibrahim Zadran also fell cheaply for just 1 run. The team was under pressure at 2 wickets down.
Veteran Mohammad Nabi joined Atal and the pair built a solid partnership, taking the score past 70. Nabi scored 33 runs before being dismissed in the 11th over. Skipper Gulbadin Naib could not contribute much and was out for 5. However, Atal stood firm and found strong support from Azmatullah Omarzai.
Both batted sensibly and punished loose deliveries. Omarzai played a fine innings of 53 runs, while Atal also reached his half-century. Thanks to their efforts, Afghanistan finished with a competitive total of 188 runs in 20 overs.
Hong Kong Struggle in the Chase
Chasing 189 runs, Hong Kong had a nightmare start. Fazalhaq Farooqi struck in the very first over to dismiss Anshuman Rath for a duck. Omarzai then removed Zeeshan Ali in the next over. The wickets kept falling regularly as Hong Kong slipped to 13/3.
Captain Nizakat Khan was run out, and the middle order failed to resist the Afghan attack. Only a few batsmen managed double figures, but none could build a big innings. Babar Hayat, who looked promising, also lost his wicket at a crucial stage.
Eventually, Hong Kong could only manage 94 runs in their 20 overs, losing 9 wickets. Afghanistan’s bowlers were disciplined and relentless throughout the innings.
A Dominant Victory
Afghanistan started their Asia Cup campaign in style with a huge 94-run win. The team showed balance in both batting and bowling, making them a strong contender in the tournament.