T20 Asia Cup: Afghanistan crush Hongkong, record their first ever win

New-Delhi: Afghanistan defeated Hongkong by 94 runs in the Asia Cup tournament at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium at Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Opting to bat first, they scored a brilliant 188/6. Opener Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai help them set a target of 189 for Hongkong to chase. Also, Gulbadin Naib and Fazalhaq Farooqi took two wickets each for Afghanistan.

Babar Hayat took the task of reviving the chase with Kinchit Shah, ending the powerplay at 23/4. However, his attempts did not work much as Kinchit was removed for a 10-ball six by Noor Ahmed, caught by Karim Janat at deep backwards square leg. Afghanistan was 43/5 in 9.5 overs.

A massive six over deep mid-wicket by Hayat helped Hong Kong reach the 50-run mark in 11.2 overs, while he got another six against Karim in that over, but he succumbed to Gulbadin Naib in the next over for a 43-ball 39, with three sixes. Afghanistan reduced Hong Kong to 63/6.

It kept getting worse for Hong Kong, as skipper Rashid Khan got Aizaz Khan as his first wicket for a 10-ball six, caught by Mohammed Nabi at long-on, while attempting a reverse-sweep. Hong Kong was 78/7 in 16.2 overs.

Earlier, former world number one all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai shattered the record for the fastest fifty in T20Is for Afghanistan after his whirlwind knock at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in the Asia Cup opener on Tuesday.

After opting to bat, Afghanistan were left threadbare at 110/4, courtesy of Hong Kong’s spirited bowling display with five overs left.