Sediqullah Atal made the most of the dropped catches by Hong Kong and scored a majestic half-century as that has helped Afghanistan recover from a tricky position to get to a competitive total. On a pitch that was playing slow and low, Afghanistan won a good toss and elected to bat first. They lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran early in the powerplay.
Then Mohammad Nabi came in at 4 and played really well for his 33 to rebuild the innings and while Gulbadin Naib missed out, Azmatullah Omarzai played a blinder towards the end to apply the finishing touches to take Afghanistan to an above par score which will be tough to chase down for Hong Kong later on.
Afghanistan recover from early jitters to get to 41/2 in the powerplay
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sediqullah Atal came out for Afghanistan while Ayush Shukla had the ball in hand. Sediqullah Atal got off the mark with a boundary first ball through short fine leg region. Then Hong Kong started the spree of dropped catches as they dropped Atal when he was on 4 and the team score was 4 as well as Yasim Murtaza put it down at first slip. Atal added insult to injury as he hit Shukla for consecutive boundaries to end an expensive first over.
Ateeq Iqbal was given the ball from the other end. Atal hit him for a boundary through covers. Gurbaz smashed Shukla for the maximum down the ground before Shukla got him for 8 off 5 balls with a maximum to his name. Shukla shortened his length a fraction and Gurbaz came down the track and looked to go downtown and ended up slicing high in the air as Nizakat from mid-off went back and took the catch. Ibrahim Zadran came out to bat next.
He fell to Iqbal for 1 off 4 balls. The bowler bowled a length delivery outside off-stump, Ibrahim looked to drive it on the up square of the wicket in the off-side and got an outside edge as Zeeshan took the catch easily. Mohammad Nabi came out to bat next. Soon, Atal hit Shukla for a boundary past mid-off. Ehsan Khan came and bowled a decent last over of powerplay as Afghanistan reached 41/2 in 6 overs at the end of it.
Sediqullah Atal drives the innings in the middle overs after Nabi and Naib falls with the former getting a start
Aizaz Khan came into the attack after the powerplay. Nabi took him on by hitting a boundary and a maximum off consecutive balls. Ehsan kept things relatively tight out there. Nabi thrashed Aizaz through covers for a boundary. Few balls later, Nabi once again guided the ball behind square for a boundary. Captain Yasim Murtaza came into the attack and bowled a decent first over as Afghanistan reached 77/2 in 10 overs at the halfway stage as players took Drinks in oppressive conditions.
Kinchit Shah came into the attack post the break and got rid of Nabi for 33 off 26 balls with 3 fours and a maximum to his name. He bowled from around the wicket a tossed up delivery angling outside off-stump across the batter. Nabi went back and across and looked to take the aerial route. He looked to smash it over long-off but mistimed it as the fielder at long-off took the catch. Gulbadin Naib came to the crease and got off the mark with a brace. Atal survived a close run out at the striker’s end.
Murtaza kept things tight giving nothing away. Sediqullah Atal smashed Kinchit Shah over deep midwicket for the maximum. But Shah hit back getting rid of Naib for 5 off 8 balls. He bowled a length ball outside off angling away from the batter. Naib reached for it and swung his bat across the line. He spooned it straight up in the air as Murtaza called for it at extra covers and took the catch. Azmatullah Omarzai came out to the middle to bat.
Soon, the 100 came out for Afghanistan in 13.5 overs. Atal soon reached his fifty in 41 balls as Afghanistan reached 110/4 in 15 overs with 5 overs to go.
Azmatullah Omarzai’s fastest fifty powers Afghanistan to 188/6
Omarzai decided to switch gears as he smashed Murtaza for the maximum over deep midwicket. Atal was once again dropped at short third man as Ehsan Khan dropped a sitter as the southpaw got another reprieve. Omarzai smashed a boundary past backward point region for a boundary. Sediqullah Atal then switched gears as he smashed Iqbal for back-to-back maximums as Afghanistan switched gears. Atal too hit another boundary off the same bowler as 25 runs came off the 17th over.
Omarzai was next to be given a reprieve as the long-off fielder put him down. He made the Hong Kong team pay by hitting a maximum over deep midwicket the very next ball. Omarzai then decided to take on Shukla next and smashed him for a hat-trick of sixes to put the game in favour of Afghanistan. He hit another boundary to the third man fence for a boundary to get to his fifty in just 20 balls. He got out eventually to Shukla for 53 off 21 balls with 2 fours and 5 sixes to his name.
Shukla bowled a length ball outside off slower ball, Omarzai cleared his front leg and swung his bat across the line and mistimed it straight up in the air. The fielder at long-on settled underneath it and took the catch. Karim Janat came out to bat and got off the mark straightaway. Janat fell to Ehsan Khan for 2 off 3 balls. He tossed it up full at the stumps right in the slot for the batter. Janat settled got underneath it and looked to smash it over long-on fence and got the height and the distance as the fielder took the catch. Captain Rashid Khan came out to bat next and got off the mark with a triple.
Sediqullah Atal got a single off the last ball as he carried his bat to be unbeaten on 73 off 52 balls and Rashid remained unbeaten on 3 off 1 ball. Atal’s innings consisted of 6 fours and 3 sixes to his name. 10 extras was conceded by the fielding side. Ayush Shukla picked up 2 wickets but gave 54 runs in 4 overs. Kinchit Shah finished with 2/24 in 3 overs. Ateeq Iqbal picked up 1/32 in 3 overs. Ehsan Khan bowled well for his 1/28 in 4 overs. Aizaz Khan gave away 26 runs in 2 overs while Yasim Murtaza gave away 23 runs in 4 overs. Hong Kong’s target is 189 runs in 20 overs.
What Lies Ahead
Afghanistan are in a pole position to win this game now. 188 is an above par score and Hong Kong will have to bat out of their skins to win this one and chase 189 down. The pitch is aiding the slower bowlers and spinners and Afghanistan have 4 spinners in their ranks. Advantage Afghanistan in the break. Can Hong Kong pull off a surprise from here? Only time will tell.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2025: Solid-looking Afghanistan Face-Off Against Fearless Hong Kong In Opener