Afghanistan commenced their Asia Cup 2025 campaign with a dominant 94-run victory over Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi. Opting to bat first, Afghanistan recovered from an early wobble to post a formidable 188/6, thanks to a composed innings from Sediqullah Atal and a record-breaking onslaught from Azmatullah Omarzai. Hong Kong, in response, never recovered from a disastrous start, eventually limping to 94/9.
Afghanistan's innings began cautiously, losing Gurbaz and Ibrahim early in the powerplay. The ball seemed to hold up on the surface, making free-scoring difficult. Sediqullah Atal (73 not out off 52 balls) and Mohammad Nabi (33 off 26) then combined for a crucial 51-run partnership, providing stability in the middle overs. Nabi struck three fours and a six before falling.
The game's momentum shifted dramatically with the arrival of Azmatullah Omarzai. The all-rounder unleashed a blistering assault, smashing 53 off just 21 balls, including two boundaries and five towering sixes. In the 19th over bowled by Ayush Shukla, Omarzai hit a six over the sightscreen, followed by another over deep extra cover, and then sent the third delivery to the mid-wicket boundary, before guiding a full toss to third man to reach his fifty. This explosive hitting allowed Afghanistan to score 111 runs in the final ten overs, propelling them to a commanding total. In the process, Omarzai etched his name in Afghanistan's cricket history by scoring the fastest T20I fifty for his country, surpassing Mohammad Nabi's previous record. Their 82-run partnership came in just 35 balls.
Hong Kong's fielding performance did not help their cause, with multiple dropped catches proving costly. Atal was dropped early on, allowing him to anchor the innings, and further chances were missed off Omarzai.
Chasing 189, Hong Kong endured a nightmarish start, losing four wickets inside the powerplay to the Afghan attack. Fazalhaq Farooqi and Omarzai did the early damage, leaving Hong Kong reeling at 23/4. Only Babar Hayat offered some resistance, scoring 39 off 43 balls, including three sixes. However, he lacked support as the rest of the batting lineup failed to build meaningful partnerships. Gulbadin Naib eventually accounted for Hayat.
Afghanistan's bowlers maintained relentless pressure, taking wickets at regular intervals. Farooqi and Naib finished with two wickets each. Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad also contributed with the ball. Hong Kong were eventually bowled out for 94, handing Afghanistan a comprehensive victory. Yasim Murtaza, the captain of Hong Kong, acknowledged that his team bowled well initially but praised Omarzai for his game-changing innings.
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan reflected on a great win and appreciated Omarzai's all-round performance. He also acknowledged the challenges of the Asia Cup schedule, with the team based in Dubai but having to travel to Abu Dhabi for all their group matches. However, he stressed the importance of adapting to the circumstances.
Azmatullah Omarzai was named Player of the Match for his explosive innings and contribution with the ball. Afghanistan's dominant performance provided a significant boost to their net run rate and underlined their credentials as a team to watch in the Asia Cup 2025.
