Asia Cup 2025: Afghanistan Crush Hong Kong by 94 Runs

The Asia Cup 2025 got underway in Abu Dhabi with a one-sided but instructive Group B opener. Afghanistan entered the clash as heavy favourites against Hong Kong, a side still seeking consistency at the highest level. While the result went as expected, the manner of the victory exposed both the strength and the vulnerabilities of the Afghan side.

Match Highlights

Here’s how the contest unfolded, with the decisive turning points that shaped the game:

• Afghanistan won the toss and chose to bat first.
• After stumbling to 95/6 in 13 overs, they were rescued by Sediqullah Atal (73* off 52) and Azmatullah Omarzai (53 off 21), who lifted the total to 188/6.
• Hong Kong’s chase never gained momentum: they finished on 94/9 in 20 overs, with only Babar Hayat (39) showing resistance.

Match Snapshot

The final numbers underline Afghanistan’s dominance and Hong Kong’s struggles, providing a concise summary of the encounter.

Our Verdict

This opener confirmed Afghanistan’s superiority in power-hitting and depth, but also served as a cautionary tale: early collapses can cost dearly against elite opposition. For Hong Kong, the match highlighted the gulf in class — they battled hard but lacked the batting backbone to sustain a chase of this magnitude. Afghanistan marched forward with confidence, though with clear lessons to absorb before tougher assignments.