Afghanistan Vs Hong Kong, Asia Cup T20: Ateeq Iqbal Becomes Fourth Bowler To Deliver Wicket-Maiden Over In Powerplay

Hong Kong's Ateeq Iqbal etched his name into Asia Cup history by becoming only the fourth bowler to deliver a maiden wicket over during the powerplay phase of a match.

The milestone was achieved during the Afghanistan vs Hong Kong, Men's T20 Asia Cup 2025 opener at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Tuesday (September 9).

Historic Spell For Iqbal

Iqbal, a right-arm pacer, dismissed Ibrahim Zadran without conceding a single run in the fourth over after Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan won the toss and opted to bat first in their Group B match.

Mohammad Amir did it for Pakistan against the UAE in Mirpur during the 2016 edition. Bhuvneshwar Kumar matched the feat for India in the same tournament and venue, also against the UAE. Shahnawaz Dahani joined the list in 2022, delivering a maiden wicket over for Pakistan against Hong Kong in Sharjah.

Omarzai's Fastest T20I Fifty

After electing to bat, they slipped to 41/2 in the Powerplay with Rahmanullah Gurbaz (8) and Ibrahim Zadran (1) departing early. A steady 51-run stand between Sediqullah Atal and Mohammad Nabi (33) rebuilt the innings before Azmatullah Omarzai’s fireworks turned the tide.

Omarzai smashed a blistering 53 off just 21 balls, registering the fastest T20I fifty for Afghanistan, while Atal anchored the innings superbly with an unbeaten 73 off 52 balls.

Hong Kong’s bowlers started well but lost control at the death. Kinchit Shah (2/24) was the pick of the attack, while Ayush Shukla (2/54) proved expensive despite his breakthroughs. Afghanistan’s late flourish leaves Hong Kong needing 189 for victory and a monumental effort to secure their first Asia Cup win.