ABU DHABI – Afghanistan thrashed Hong Kong by 94 runs in the Group B match of the T20I Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Chasing a challenging 189-run target for victory, Hong Kong managed to reach 94 runs for the loss of nine wickets in the allocated 20 overs.
Babar Hayat was the top scorer for Hong Kong with 39 off 43 balls, followed by skipper Yasim Murtaza, who made 16 off 26 balls. No other batsman could enter the double figures.
Fazalhaq Farooqi and Gulbadin Naib got two wickets each, and Azmatullah Omarzai, Noor Ahmad and skipper Rashid Khan one each. Nizakat Khan and Kalhan Challu were run out. Azmatullah Omarzai was named player of the match.
Opting to bat first, Afghanistan managed to reach a competitive total of 188 for the loss of six wickets in the allocated 20 overs.
Sediqullah Atal was the top scorer for Afghanistan with an unbeaten 73 off 52 balls, followed by Azmatullah Omarzai, who contributed 53 off 21 balls. Mohammad Nabi scored 33 off 26 balls. Ayush Shukla and Kinchit Shah took two wickets each, while Ateeq Iqbal and Ehsan Khan got one wicket each.
Afghanistan Playing XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (capt), Noor Ahmad, AM Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Hong Kong Playing XI: Zeeshan Ali (wk), Babar Hayat, Anshuman Rath, Kalhan Challu, Nizakat Khan, Aizaz Khan, Kinchit Shah, Yasim Murtaza (capt), Ayush Shukla, Ateeq Iqbal, Ehsan Khan
