AFG vs HK: Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai shine as men in blue win Asia Cup opener

UAE: Afghanistan won the opening clash of the Asia Cup 2025 tonight, convincingly defeating Hong Kong China, who failed to chase down a target of 189 set earlier by the Men in Green.

Sediqullah Atal (73-not out off 51 balls) was named the Most Valuable Player, while Azmatullah Omarzai (53 off 21) earned the title of Player of the Match for his explosive performance.

In the opening clash of the Asia Cup tonight, as the men in blue dismantled their batting lineup early on.

Azmatullah Omarzai and Fazalhaq Farooqi dismissed opening batters Zeeshan Ali (5 off 6) and Anshuman Rath (0 off 1), respectively.

Nizakat Khan and Kalhan Challu were both run out, further denting Hong Kong’s hopes of building a stable chase. Kinchit Shah also failed to settle in, falling to Noor Ahmad after scoring just 5.

At the crease now are Captain Yasim Murtaza and Aizaz Khan, with their team reeling at 72-6.

Earlier, Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first, posting a solid 189-6.

Afghanistan batting-line

Sediqullah Atal led the charge with an aggressive 73 off 52 balls, including 6 fours and 3 sixes who was well supported by Mohammad Nabi for adding 33 off just 26 balls. Azmatullah Omarzai, who played havoc, also contributed 53 from 21 balls.

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Hong Kong China batting-line

Hong Kong struggled in their chase of 189 against Afghanistan, managing only 94-9 in their 20 overs and falling short by 94 runs.

Babar Hayat was the lone bright spot with a fighting 39 off 43 balls, while the rest of the batting lineup collapsed under disciplined Afghan bowling.

Zeeshan Ali (5), Yasim Murtaza (16), and a few others got starts but couldn’t convert.

Afghanistan’s bowlers, led by Fazalhaq Farooqi (2 wickets) and Gulbadin Naib (2 wickets), maintained relentless pressure, with two batters also being run out.

The heavy defeat underlined Afghanistan’s dominance in the match.