The 2025 Asia Cup gets underway on Tuesday, with Hong Kong taking on Afghanistan in the opening match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. This edition of the tournament is being played in the T20I format, serving as a lead-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Afghanistan enter the contest on the back of a tri-series loss. Despite that setback, they remain strong contenders, particularly in conditions favourable to their spin-heavy attack. Captain Rashid Khan, along with Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmad, and Fazalhaq Farooqi, gives Afghanistan one of the most balanced bowling units in the tournament. However, their batting—especially Rahmanullah Gurbaz—remains a concern after a forgettable tri-series. He will be looking to regain form ahead of clashes against the tournament’s heavyweights.
Hong Kong, on the other hand, are realistic about the challenge ahead. They arrived in the UAE well in advance and played four warm-up matches, splitting results against Oman and local club teams. Their top order has been in excellent form, with openers Anshuman Rath and Zeeshan Ali smashing centuries and maintaining high strike rates this year. Much of Hong Kong’s hopes rest on the duo continuing their fine run.
Despite the experience gap, Hong Kong will look to exploit the overworked Afghan players, who have endured a packed schedule of tri-series and preparatory matches in recent weeks. The crushing loss to Pakistan in the Sharjah tri-series final on September 7 further dented their spirits, leaving the team both physically and mentally drained.
The match is scheduled to begin at 8 pm IST.
Afghanistan vs Hong Kong Asia Cup 2025 Squads
Hong Kong Squad: Zeeshan Ali (wk), Babar Hayat, Nizakat Khan, Anshuman Rath, Martin Coetzee, Yasim Murtaza (c), Aizaz Khan, Nasrulla Rana, Ehsan Khan, Ali Hassan, Ateeq Iqbal, Kalhan Challu, Ayush Shukla, Kinchit Shah, Mohammad Waheed, Shahid Wasif, Mohammad Ghazanfar.
Afghanistan Squad: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan (c), Noor Ahmad, AM Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammad Ishaq, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Gulbadin Naib.