Sri Lanka Vs Hong Kong Preview, Asia Cup 2025: Underdogs Take On Defending Champions

Sri Lanka will be locking horns against Hong Kong in the Group B stage of the ongoing Asia Cup T20 tournament on September 15, Monday. The contest will take place at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai.

Sri Lanka, who won the Asia Cup the last time it was held in the T20 format, ticked all boxes in their opener against Bangladesh. From getting wickets in the powerplay to sealing the game inside the first six overs with the bat, Sri Lanka sent ominous signals to the tougher teams in the eight team competition.

Hong Kong To Face Sri Lanka For First Time In T20Is

Sri Lanka and Hong Kong will be facing each other for the very first time in T20I format. Considering HKG's batting struggles, a drastic improvement will be needed against Sri Lanka to make a match out of it. The pace duo of Nuwan Thushara and Dushmantha Chameera would be fancying themselves against Hong Kong's fragile top-order.

If the Yasim Murtaza led unit is able to negotiate them in the powerplay, overcoming spinner Wanindu Hasaranga could prove to be a tougher task. Trust Hasarang to target the stumps and fox the batters with an odd googly.

Death overs specialist Matheesha Pathirana had an off day against Bangladesh and he would be eager to roll over the opposition with a barrage of yorkers.

Hong Kong Skipper Happy With Team's Batters

Murtaza, who is among the few boundary hitters in his side, knows where his batters need to work on. However, the bowlers showed big improvement in their last game against Bangladesh.

"To be honest, I am happy with the batters but would have been happier if one of them got 60-70+ and got a big total. I think we know what we need to work on, hopefully we’ll do better next time," Murtaza said after the loss to Bangladesh.

Hong Kong openers Zeeshan Ali and Anhsuman Rath have been underwhelming thus far and if their team is to do any better, they must get the runs in the powerplay.

Sri Lanka Vs Hong Kong, Asia Cup 2025: Squads

Hong Kong: Zeeshan Ali(w), Anshuman Rath, Babar Hayat, Nizakat Khan, Yasim Murtaza(c), Aizaz Khan, Kinchit Shah, Kalhan Challu, Ehsan Khan, Ayush Shukla, Ateeq Iqbal, Shahid Wasif, Nasrulla Rana, Mohammad Ghazanfar, Mohammad Waheed, Martin Coetzee, Ali Hassan

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Dasun Shanaka, Charith Asalanka(c), Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, Nuwanidu Fernando, Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Chamika Karunaratne, Binura Fernando

(With PTI Inputs)