AFG vs HKC | Twitter applauds as Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai power Afghanistan to huge win

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ByVenkateswaran N, SportsCafe Editor

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Afghanistan beat Hong Kong by 94 runs in the opening game of the Asia Cup T20 2025 in Abu Dhabi. Sediqullah Atal and Azmatulah Omarzai shone with contrasting half-centuries to power Afghanistan to a formidable score before a disciplined bowling effort restricted Hong Kong to a paltry total.

‌Afghanistan started their Asia Cup T20 2025 campaign with a 94-run win over Hong Kong at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. Opener Sediqullah Atal and all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai came up with stroke-filled half-centuries to push Afghanistan to 188/6 in their allotted 20 overs, while Hong Kong could manage just 94/9 in response.

Afghanistan were off to a flying start, after opting to bat first, with opener Sediqullah Atal hitting three boundaries in the first over bowled by Ayush Shukla. But Hong Kong fought back with Shukla dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz in his next over and Ateeq Iqbal sending back Ibrahim Zadran in the fourth as the score read 41/2 at the end of the powerplay. However, former captain Mohammad Nabi, after a slow start, provided some acceleration to the proceedings with three fours and a six off medium pacer Aizaz Khan’s first two overs. But as was the case earlier,  Hong Kong came back yet again with off-spinner Kinchit Shah breaking the 51-run partnership for the third wicket between Atal and Nabi, dismissing the latter who holed out in the deep. Another wicket followed as Kinchit lured Gulbadin Naib to miscue a slow and flighted delivery in his next over. With only 23 runs conceded between overs nine and 13, Afghanistan were placed at a tricky 95/4. But Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai went big guns in the last four overs to power the side past the 175-run mark. Atal, who completed his fifty in 41 balls, shifted gears with two sixes and a four in the 17th over from Ateeq Iqbal. He remained unbeaten on 73 off 52 balls with six fours and three sixes in his innings. Meanwhile, Omarzai smashed five sixes, including three off Ayush Shukla in the penultimate over, and two fours to reach his maiden T20I fifty in just 20 balls. Off-spinner Kinchit Shah was the pick among the Hong Kong bowlers with a spell of 2/24 in three overs, while Ayush finished with 2/54.

In response, Hong Kong had a horrific start, losing opener Anshy Rath in the second ball of the innings with the batter failing to take a review after missing pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi’s outswinger by a mile. His opening partner Zeeshan Ali was also back in the hut in the next over after being dismissed by Azmatullah Omarzai. Things became worse with the run outs of Nizakhat Khan, who went without facing a ball, and Kalhan Challu as the score read 23/4 after the mandatory powerplay. Hong Kong never recovered from that, as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Babar Hayat was the only player who showed some sort of resistance, hitting three sixes during his 43-ball 39, while skipper Yasim Murtaza scored 16 off 26 balls. Gulbadin Naib and Fazalhaq Farooqi headlined a clinical bowling show with figures of 2/8 and 2/16, respectively, in three overs.

Brilliant

Early one

Victory

Yup

Congrats

Defeated

Yup

Good one

Opener won

Too low

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