Afghanistan vs Hong Kong, Asia Cup 2025 Highlights: Afghanistan win by 94 runs in tournament opener

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Nabi, Good fielding! Short and around off, Mohammad Nabi punches it wide of short covers, where the fielder dives to his right to stop the single.

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Nabi, Flatter, shortish and on leg, Mohammad Nabi stays back to push it away but gets an inside edge towards short mid-wicket.

Ehsan Khan to Sediqullah Atal, Tad shorter and around the batters, Sediqullah Atal looks to turn that across on the leg side, but the ball beats the inside edge to hit him on the pads and dribble towards short fine leg for a leg bye.

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Nabi, Shorter and around middle, turning into the batter, Nabi nudges it across to square leg for a run.

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Nabi, Lands it fuller and over off, Nabi backs away and cuts it towards deep point for a single. The fielder at the deep fails to collect it neatly, which allows the batter to take the second run as well.

Aizaz Khan to Sediqullah Atal, BEATEN! Change of pace, full and around off, Sediqullah Atal looks to go for the big booming drive but gets beaten on the outside edge. 15 runs from Aizaz's first over then!

Aizaz Khan to Mohammad Nabi, Pitched up and on off, Mohammad Nabi drives it towards long off for a single.

Aizaz Khan to Mohammad Nabi, SIX! Mr. President changing gears now! Fuller in length and around off, pace on this time. Mohammad Nabi backs away a bit, extends his arms to reach out and dispatches it with ease over the long off fence for a biggie. 50 up for Afghanistan!

Aizaz Khan to Mohammad Nabi, FOUR! Put away nicely! Aizaz Khan bowls the off-cutter and keeps it on a length around off. Mohammad Nabi reads the pace well this time and extends his arms, lofts it up and over the cover fielder for four runs.

Aizaz Khan to Mohammad Nabi, Hurls it on a length and around off, Nabi stands tall to punch it to wide of covers and comes back for the second run.

Aizaz Khan to Mohammad Nabi, WIDE! Errs in the line, bowls it down the leg stump, on a length. Nabi misses to flick on that. Wided.

Aizaz Khan to Sediqullah Atal, Khan starts off with a fuller delivery outside off, Sediqullah Atal drives it firmly towards long off and takes a run.

A fantastic Powerplay with the ball for Hong Kong, China. They have not allowed the Afghans to get runs easily. Also, the pitch appears to be a bit slower in nature. Timing will be a key. Bowler number 4 introduced. Aizaz Khan is into the attack, replacing Ayush Shukla.

Ehsan Khan to Sediqullah Atal, Flatter, full and on leg, Sediqullah Atal tucks it through mid-wicket for one. Only 4 runs off the over. Afghanistan are 41/2 at the end of the Powerplay!

Ehsan Khan to Sediqullah Atal, Looped up, full and around off, Sediqullah Atal drills it hard but straight to extra covers.

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Nabi, Fuller and on leg, Mohammad Nabi clips it through square leg for a single.

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Nabi, Keeps it flatter and wider outside off, Nabi looks to poke at it away from the body, but gets beaten on the outside edge.

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Nabi, DROPPED? A tough chance though! Ehsan Khan bowls it quicker and flatter around middle and leg, Nabi backs away to play it on the off side, but he is cramped up for space as the ball nips in a touch to take a thick inside edge. The keeper behind fails to collect this neatly on his left, as the ball hits him on his thigh and rolls toward the leg side. 

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Nabi, Follows the batter, and bowls it tad fuller, Nabi just drops it near the vacant mid-wicket region and runs a couple.

Bowler number 3 for Hong Kong, China. Here's the experienced Ehsan Khan into the attack. He replaces Ateeq Iqbal.

Ayush Shukla to Mohammad Nabi, Pulls his length back a bit, on middle, Mohammad Nabi pats it to the left of mid on for one more.

Ayush Shukla to Sediqullah Atal, Takes pace off, full and on off, Sediqullah Atal just checks his drive at the last moment as the ball rolls towards mid off. They cross.

Ayush Shukla to Sediqullah Atal, Pitched up and on middle, shaping in, Sediqullah Atal tucks it away nicely towards the deep mid-wicket region for a couple of runs. Could have been three, but the batters are happy with the double.

Ayush Shukla to Mohammad Nabi, Tap and run! Good length and on off, Mohammad Nabi taps it in front of short covers for a quick run.

Ayush Shukla to Sediqullah Atal, On a length and on middle, angling in, Sediqullah Atal steps across and knocks it towards mid on for a single.

Ayush Shukla to Sediqullah Atal, FOUR! Nice shot! Full again but around off this time, Sediqullah Atal leans on a bit and drills it past the diving mid off fielder for a boundary. His fifth already.

Ayush Shukla to Sediqullah Atal, WIDE! Errs in line a bit and serves this full but down the leg side, Sediqullah Atal misses his flick. Wided.

Change? Not yet. Ayush Shukla to bowl his third over on the trot. 2-0-19-1 so far.

Ateeq Iqbal to Mohammad Nabi, Full again and on middle, attacks the stumps, Mohammad Nabi knocks it to mid on. A WICKET-MAIDEN OVER!

Ateeq Iqbal to Mohammad Nabi, Touch fuller and on middle, shaping in a long way, Mohammad Nabi fails to flick it away as the ball lobs up off his pads to the leg side.

Ateeq Iqbal to Mohammad Nabi, On a length and on middle, Mohammad Nabi pushes it towards cover.

Ateeq Iqbal to Mohammad Nabi, Almost another! Back of a length and outside off, Mohammad Nabi has a nibble at it but misses.

Fondly known as 'The President', Mohammad Nabi is in at 4.

Ateeq Iqbal to Ibrahim Zadran, OUT! EDGED AND GONE! This is a dream start for Hong Kong, China! Ateeq Iqbal strikes now and gets the in-form batter here. He lands this on a good length and around off again, shapes away a bit. Ibrahim Zadran gets tempted and goes for the big drive on the up, but only manages to get a thin outside edge behind, where Zeeshan Ali takes a sharp catch to his right. It is even better as he is standing up to the stumps. Never easy to pluck those catches. Zadran walks back for 1 off 4, and Afghanistan are 26/2 now!

Ateeq Iqbal to Ibrahim Zadran, Fuller in length and around off, Ibrahim Zadran reaches out but mistimes his drive towards extra covers.

Ayush Shukla to Sediqullah Atal, Another full delivery, on off, Sediqullah Atal drives it firmly but fails to beat short covers. Excellent comeback from Shukla after getting hit for a six on the first ball. It ends with just 7 runs and a big wicket.

Ayush Shukla to Sediqullah Atal, Slower one, full and on off, Sediqullah Atal pushes it straight to short covers.

Ayush Shukla to Ibrahim Zadran, Pitched up and on middle, Ibrahim Zadran works it wide of mid on for a single.

Ayush Shukla is not quite happy with the landing area. A member of the ground staff rushes out with a bucket, and some sawdust is being sprinkled in that region. All good to continue now.

Ayush Shukla to Ibrahim Zadran, On a length and on off, Ibrahim Zadran blocks it out.

Ibrahim Zadran, the man in a good form, walks in at 3.

Ayush Shukla to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, OUT! TAKEN! Rahmanullah Gurbaz tries to go big again, but holes out instead! Ayush Shukla gets a big breakthrough for Hong Kong, China. Shukla just rolls his finger and bowls the off-cutter, full and around off. Gurbaz comes down the track again to loft it down the ground. However, this time he doesn't quite get to the pitch and goes through the shot very early as well. Gets a bit of a top edge as the ball flies high in the air behind mid off. Nizakat Khan tracks backwards a bit, settles under it, and takes a nice reverse cup catch. Gurbaz's lean patch continues, as he departs for 8 (5) and Afghanistan are 25/1!

Ayush Shukla to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, SIX! BANG! Rahmanullah Gurbaz joins the party now! Fuller in length and on off, Gurbaz skips down the track to get closer to the pitch of the ball. Swings through the line and lofts it beautifully over the long off fence for a biggie.

Ateeq Iqbal to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Still some movement out there! Much fuller and on middle, shapes away a touch, Rahmanullah Gurbaz looks to work it across the line but closes his bat face early. Gets a leading edge along the ground towards point for one.

Ateeq Iqbal to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Short of a length and outside off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz tries to cut it away but misses.

Ateeq Iqbal to Sediqullah Atal, Length again and on off, Sediqullah Atal steers it towards backward point for a run.

Ateeq Iqbal to Sediqullah Atal, FOUR! Just wide! Back of a length and just around off, Sediqullah Atal frees his arm and smashes it but does not keep it down. The fielder at short covers thinks he has a chance, but the ball flies well to the right of him and to the fence for a boundary. 

Ateeq Iqbal to Sediqullah Atal, On a length and around off, Sediqullah Atal opens the face of his bat and guides it to point.

Ateeq Iqbal to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ateeq Iqbal begins with a good-length delivery, on middle and leg, Rahmanullah Gurbaz nudges it towards square leg for a single and gets underway.

Ateeq Iqbal to operate from the far end.