Afghanistan beat Hong Kong by 94 runs in Asia Cup opener
Azmatullah Omarzai (53) and Sediqullah (73) starred with the bat
Gulbaddin Naib and Fazalhaq Farooqi clinched two wickets each
Afghanistan kicked off their Asia Cup 2025 campaign with a commanding 94-run win over Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi. Opting to bat first, they overcame early hiccups thanks to Sediqullah Atal’s unbeaten 73 and skipper Mohammad Nabi’s 33, before Azmatullah Omarzai stole the show.
The all-rounder smashed a record 20-ball fifty, fastest for Afghanistan in T20Is, and powered Afghanistan to a formidable 188/6 with a blistering 53. The late assault saw 69 runs scored in the last four overs, leaving Hong Kong’s bowlers with little to celebrate despite Ayush Shukla and Kinchit Shah picking up two wickets each.
The chase quickly unraveled as Fazalhaq Farooqi struck in the opening over to remove Anshuman Rath for a golden duck. By the end of the Powerplay, Hong Kong were reeling at 23/4 and never recovered.
Babar Hayat fought hard with 39 off 43, but Gulbadin Naib, who went past the 2500-run mark earlier, ended his resistance, and from there it was one-way traffic.
With only two batters reaching double figures, Hong Kong stumbled to 94/9 in 20 overs. Afghanistan’s bowlers shared the spoils in a clinical display, sealing an emphatic victory to begin their tournament in style.
For Afghanistan, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Gulbadin Naib bagged two scalps each, while captain Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad and Azmatullah Omarzai got a wicket each.
