Introduction
The Asia Cup 2025 kicked off in spectacular fashion at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, Asia Cup 2025 1st Match Afghanistan delivering a dominant performance against Hong Kong. The Afghans showcased their batting firepower and bowling depth, sealing a 94-run victory that immediately stamped them as serious contenders for the title.
Afghanistan’s Batting – Power and Patience
Afghanistan, after choosing to bat, posted a commanding 188 for 6 in 20 overs.
- Sediqullah Atal played the anchor role to perfection. His unbeaten 73 runs from 52 balls, laced with 6 fours and 3 sixes, provided the backbone of the innings.
- Azmatullah Omarzai stole the spotlight with his breathtaking knock of 53 from just 21 deliveries. His innings included 5 sixes and 2 fours, and he reached his half-century in only 21 balls, making it the fastest T20I fifty for Afghanistan.
- Mohammad Nabi chipped in with a handy 33 off 26 balls, keeping the scoreboard ticking when Afghanistan needed stability.
Despite losing early wickets, the middle order ensured a big finish, capitalizing on Hong Kong’s five dropped catches, which proved costly.
Hong Kong’s Struggles with the Bat
Chasing 189 for victory, Hong Kong faltered under pressure. Their innings ended at 94 for 9 in 20 overs, never really threatening Afghanistan’s total.
- Babar Hayat was the lone bright spot, scoring 39 runs, but lacked support from the other end.
- Afghanistan’s bowlers were relentless, varying pace and using the conditions well to choke the scoring opportunities.
Bowling Brilliance from Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s attack was clinical and disciplined:
- Gulbadin Naib bowled a miserly spell of 3 overs, 2 wickets for just 8 runs, dismantling Hong Kong’s top order.
- Fazalhaq Farooqi added more pressure with 2 wickets for 16 runs in 3 overs.
- Omarzai, already the batting hero, also bowled 2 tight overs, conceding only 4 runs and taking 1 wicket.
Interestingly, seven bowlers were used in total. Skipper Rashid Khan, despite being the team’s premier spinner, jokingly admitted post-match that he forgot to bowl his two overs due to the abundance of options.
Asia Cup 2025 – 1st Match Full Scorecard
Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Result: Afghanistan beat Hong Kong by 94 runs
Afghanistan Innings – 188/6 (20 overs)
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk) | b Ehsan Khan | 7 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 70.0 |
| Hazratullah Zazai | c Shah b Murtaza | 12 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 150.0 |
| Sediqullah Atal | not out | 73 | 52 | 6 | 3 | 140.4 |
| Mohammad Nabi | b Ehsan Khan | 33 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 126.9 |
| Najibullah Zadran | c Hayat b Aizaz Khan | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 71.4 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | c & b Yasim Murtaza | 53 | 21 | 2 | 5 | 252.4 |
| Rashid Khan (c) | run out (Hayat) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Karim Janat | not out | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 150.0 |
Extras: 2 (w 2)
Total: 188/6 in 20 overs
Fall of Wickets: 19-1 (Gurbaz), 28-2 (Zazai), 82-3 (Nabi), 97-4 (Najibullah), 172-5 (Omarzai), 173-6 (Rashid)
Hong Kong Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wkts | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ehsan Khan | 4 | 34 | 2 | 8.50 |
| Yasim Murtaza | 3 | 25 | 1 | 8.33 |
| Aizaz Khan | 4 | 31 | 1 | 7.75 |
| Ayush Shukla | 4 | 42 | 0 | 10.50 |
| Aftab Hussain | 2 | 28 | 0 | 14.00 |
| Anshuman Rath | 3 | 28 | 0 | 9.33 |
Hong Kong Innings – 94/9 (20 overs)
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nizakat Khan (c) | b Naib | 6 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 66.7 |
| Yasim Murtaza | c Nabi b Farooqi | 5 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 45.5 |
| Babar Hayat | c Gurbaz b Omarzai | 39 | 31 | 4 | 1 | 125.8 |
| Kinchit Shah | b Naib | 13 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 86.7 |
| Anshuman Rath | run out (Atal) | 8 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 80.0 |
| Ehsan Khan | lbw b Farooqi | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 33.3 |
| Scott McKechnie (wk) | b Janat | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 80.0 |
| Aizaz Khan | not out | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 85.7 |
| Ayush Shukla | run out (Rashid Khan) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Aftab Hussain | not out | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 100.0 |
Extras: 6 (w 6)
Total: 94/9 in 20 overs
Fall of Wickets: 14-1 (Nizakat), 24-2 (Murtaza), 55-3 (Shah), 69-4 (Rath), 73-5 (Hayat), 75-6 (Ehsan), 81-7 (McKechnie), 82-8 (Shukla), 94-9 (Hussain)
Afghanistan Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wkts | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 3 | 16 | 2 | 5.33 |
| Gulbadin Naib | 3 | 8 | 2 | 2.67 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2.00 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 3 | 20 | 0 | 6.67 |
| Karim Janat | 2 | 15 | 1 | 7.50 |
| Mujeeb Ur Rahman | 3 | 18 | 0 | 6.00 |
| Rashid Khan | 2 | 11 | 0 | 5.50 |
Match Result
Afghanistan won by 94 runs
Player of the Match: ⭐ Azmatullah Omarzai (53 off 21 balls, 1/4 in 2 overs)
Key Takeaways
- Afghanistan’s batting depth and fearless stroke play make them a real threat in this tournament.
- Hong Kong’s sloppy fielding (5 dropped catches) highlighted the gulf in quality at this level.
- The Afghans’ use of seven bowlers showed their tactical flexibility.
- This win boosts Afghanistan’s confidence ahead of tougher group matches against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Conclusion
The Asia Cup 2025 opener was a one-sided affair but sent a strong signal—Afghanistan are here not just to participate but to dominate. With a mix of powerful hitters, reliable anchors, and a diverse bowling attack, they have the tools to challenge any team in the competition.
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