Asia Cup 2025 Match 1 Afghanistan vs Hong Kong Preview
2025 Men’s Asia Cup
Asia Cup 2025 Match 1 Details
The 2025 Men’s Asia Cup will be the 17th edition of the Asia Cup cricket tournament. It is scheduled to take place in United Arab Emirates from 9 to 28 September 2025. Afghanistan and Hong Kong to clash in Asia Cup opener in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Fixture | Afghanistan vs Hong Kong – Group B opener, Asia Cup 2025 |
| Date & Time | Tuesday, September 9, 2025, 8:00 PM IST (Toss at 7:30 PM) |
| Venue | Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi |
| Broadcast | Sony Sports Network; Live streaming on SonyLIV (India) |
Tournament Context
This is the tournament opener for Group B, which features Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Afghanistan come in as dark horse contenders, while Hong Kong enter as spirited underdogs looking to make a mark.
Squads for Asia Cup 2025 – Afghanistan vs Hong Kong
Afghanistan Squad
Led by star all-rounder Rashid Khan, Afghanistan bring a balanced side with explosive batting and world-class spin options.
Full Squad:
Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Ishaq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Probable XI:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan (c), Mohammad Nabi, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Hong Kong Squad
Hong Kong enter their fifth Asia Cup with a squad that blends experience and youthful energy, led by Yasim Murtaza.
Full Squad:
Yasim Murtaza (c), Babar Hayat, Zeeshan Ali (wk), Nizakat Khan, Anshuman Rath, Martin Coetzee, Aizaz Khan, Nasrulla Rana, Ehsan Khan, Ali Hassan, Ateeq Iqbal, Kalhan Challu, Ayush Ashish Shukla, Kinchit Shah, Mohammad Waheed, Shahid Wasif, Ghazanfar Mohammad, Adil Mehmood, Haroon Mohammad Arshad, Anas Khan
Probable XI:
Anshuman Rath, Zeeshan Ali (wk), Babar Hayat, Nizakat Khan, Martin Coetzee, Yasim Murtaza (c), Ehsan Khan, Aizaz Khan, Ateeq Iqbal, Nasrulla Rana, Ayush Shukla
Match Outlook
Afghanistan
- Strength lies in their spin attack with Rashid Khan, Mujeeb, Noor Ahmad, and Nabi.
- Explosive batting from Gurbaz and all-round support from Omarzai and Janat.
- They start as clear favorites.
Hong Kong
- Depend heavily on the top order – Babar Hayat, Anshuman Rath, and Nizakat Khan.
- Skipper Yasim Murtaza’s all-round abilities will be key.
- Aiming to punch above their weight and create an upset.
Head-to-Head
Afghanistan and Hong Kong have met 5 times in T20Is, with Afghanistan leading 3–2.
Prediction
Afghanistan are expected to begin their campaign with a win, but Hong Kong could pose challenges if their batting clicks.
Snapshot
| Team | Captain | Key Players | Probable XI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Rashid Khan | Gurbaz, Rashid, Nabi, Farooqi | Gurbaz, Zadran, Atal, Rasooli, Janat, Omarzai, Rashid, Nabi, Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Farooqi |
| Hong Kong | Yasim Murtaza | Babar Hayat, Rath, Nizakat | Rath, Zeeshan, Hayat, Nizakat, Coetzee, Murtaza, Ehsan, Aizaz, Iqbal, Rana, Shukla |
Afghanistan will be particularly concerned by the form of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who endured a rough week in the recently-concluded tri-series
