On September 9, 2025, at Abu Dhabi, Afghanistan won the Asia Cup 2025 opener against Hong Kong by 94 runs. Afghanistan chose to bat first, but they had trouble getting into the swing of things at immediately. They lost two quick wickets during the powerplay, which gave Hong Kong an early lead.
With crucial assistance from Azmatullah Omarzai in the middle overs and at the end, Sediqullah Atal kept the innings together. Afghanistan achieved a respectable total of 188 for 6 thanks to Atal’s undefeated 73 off 52 balls and Omarzai’s rapid 53 off 21 deliveries. For Hong Kong, Ayush Shukla and Kinchit Shah each took two wickets.
Hong Kong struggled to gain any momentum during their innings and lost four wickets for just 23 runs inside the powerplay while chasing the mark. They ultimately fell far short of the goal, managing just 94. With two wickets apiece, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Gulbadin Naib got off to a great start in the continental competition.
Who Made What Remark?
Azmatullah Omarzai, the match’s MVP
really difficult lower-order batting. It all comes down to belief. Both the coach and the captain believe in me. was attempting to hit it square. We lost wickets early. After the sixteenth over, we will go for borders, I told Atal. I feel like a good bowler when I get the ball. I feel like a legitimate batter when I get to bat.
Hong Kong’s Yasim Murtaza (Losing Captain)
Playing at the Asia Cup seems like a dream come true. It is among Asia’s largest tournaments. To tell the truth, we didn’t anticipate such a high score. I had 150 in mind. Thanks to Omarzai, the game was altered. Positive aspects of the game were Babar Hayat’s batsmanship and the spinners.
Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan (winning captain)
The game was fantastic. It’s good to post the total. For us, getting wickets early on is crucial. In the last series, we experienced the same problem. We need to get better at it. It took a lot of work to bat in the final overs. Omarzai in particular. We’re skilled spinners. It puts the adversary under pressure. Batters will take chances when you put runs on the board, giving us an opportunity to take wickets.
While pursuing, we’ll also make an effort to maintain a strong record. To find out the playing XI is a difficult task. The decision to exclude Mujeeb was difficult. There are instances when you search for combinations. The good news is that I have choices, which makes things simpler for me.
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