END OF OVER:
20 | 1 Run 1 Wkt | HKG: 94/9 (95 runs required, RR: 4.70)

  • Ayush Shukla1 (2b)
  • Ateeq Iqbal1 (3b)
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi3-0-16-2
  • Gulbadin Naib3-0-8-2

10:40pm That will be all from us for tonight. We will be back again tomorrow with more Asia Cup action as India open their campaign against the UAE. Until then, from Sudeep, Thilak and myself (Shashwat), this is goodbye!

Azmatullah Omarzai, Player of the Match: Very tough batting in the lower order, all about belief. The captain and coach have belief in me, was trying to back myself and was trying to hit straight with the ball coming on nice. We lost early wickets, so I was just speaking to Sediqullah that we will bat till the 16th and then look for boundaries. We were looking to hit straight and were looking for our favourite balls (to hit). (On if he is a bowling or batting all-rounder) I think I am both. When I get bowling, I feel I am a proper bowler; when I bat, I feel I am a proper batter. It is 50-50 (smiles)

Rashid Khan, Afghanistan captain: It was great. Good to put a total on the board. In the last series as well, (losing) early wickets - that is very key for us and we have to look into it. Upcoming games are very important and that is an area if we can make it better
overall, it was a great performance. That (middle order coming good) was something I wanted to see, especially Azmatullah (and his innings). If you have good spinners, it puts extra pressure. If you have runs on the board
with batters trying to take risks, that is where you are more effective (as spinners), and that is why we are defending better than chasing. But in T20, we have to chase also, so the mentality has to be to chase as well and have a good record. (On having so many bowling options) That is a very tough ask, (selecting) the playing eleven (as well). To keep Mujeeb out is a tough decision, then Noor as well (was left out) in some games. I forgot to bowl my two overs (tonight at first). You have to see who is more successful against a particular batter (and then see). Good thing is I have options and that makes the job easier.

Yasim Murtaza, Hong Kong captain: (On the experience of playing Afghanistan) Feels like a dream come true. We know Asia Cup is one of the bigger tournaments in Asia, so we were really excited for that. I was not expecting that total on the board. At one stage, I was thinking they would get 150. Credit goes to their batters, especially Omarzai, getting 50 off 20 balls - that is a game-changer. The positive things for us was Babar with the bat and our spinners bowled well. Once we go back from here, at least we have something to work on.

10:27pm A very comfortable win for Afghanistan. 189 always seemed a tall order and once Afghanistan made early inroads, that task got significantly tougher for Hong Kong. Hayat tried to hang in, scratching his way to 39, but with only one other batter getting into double digits, Hong Kong, still searching for a win in the men's Asia Cup, fell well short.

A decent outing with the ball for Afghanistan. Naib bagged the best figures, with the likes of Noor, Rashid and Farooqi not shabby either. Almost all of their bowlers got some miles under their legs and as bigger tests come up, that could still prove vital. Stick around for the post-match presentation.

19.6
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Shukla, no run, that will be that! Afghanistan coast to a victory on opening night, and signal their intention to dominate! This is short and wide, and seems like an on-pace delivery, given how late Ayush is on it. He misses it and even though it was not for a lack of trying, it sort of sums up the gulf in quality between these sides tonight, and how much better Afghanistan were than Hong Kong!
19.5
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Ateeq Iqbal, 1 run, off-pace on a back of a length on middle and leg. Iqbal gives himself ample room and runs it down to deep third

Kasinathan: "This match's NRR boost will come handy for Afganistan in case of a three way tie "

19.4
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Ateeq Iqbal, no run, shortish outside off and this zips off the surface. Iqbal, backing away and flaying at it, is beaten for pace

Azweer : "If Afghanistan bowl out Hongkong will there be a huge difference in NRR? " -- The number of wickets do not come into NRR calculations, so will not make much of a difference.

19.3
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Ateeq Iqbal, no run, cutter dug into the track just outside off. Iqbal backs away and dabs it towards backward point

Iqbal is the last batter in. Around the wicket

19.2
W
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Ehsan Khan, OUT, has that carried?! Looks like it has! Hard length on leg stump. Sticks in the surface slightly and bounces up like a tennis ball. Ehsan cannot control it and bunts it uppishly towards the bowler, who stoops down low in his follow-through and snaffles it up inches off the turf!

Ehsan Khan c & b Fazalhaq Farooqi 6 (16m 11b 0x4 0x6) SR: 54.54

19.1
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Ehsan Khan, no run, slower ball on a back of a length on middle and leg. Ehsan jumps up onto his toes before prodding it towards the bowler

Farooqi to bowl the final over of this game

END OF OVER:
19 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | HKG: 93/8 (96 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 4.89, RRR: 96.00)

  • Ehsan Khan6 (9b)
  • Ayush Shukla1 (1b)
  • Gulbadin Naib3-0-8-2
  • Noor Ahmad4-0-16-1
18.6
1
Gulbadin Naib to Ehsan Khan, 1 run, full toss on middle and off. Ehsan takes a step down the track and flicks it towards deep square leg. Naib was very interested in the lbw, reckoning the ball brushed the pad first, but the umpire was having none of it
18.5
1
Gulbadin Naib to Shukla, 1 run, full just outside off. A bit of tail back into Ayush, who slugs it down the ground to long on

Ayush is the new batter in

18.4
W
Gulbadin Naib to Yasim Murtaza, OUT, Naib begs for the decision, and the finger finally goes up! Murtaza reviews because, well, why not! Slower ball on a length on middle and off. Comes in further with the angle and Murtaza is too early into his swipe. Gets pinned on the back leg and the only thing that could save him here is the height. No bat involved, says UltraEdge. Ball Tracking comes up now and it returns with three reds, with the ball crashing into leg stump. Murtaza has to go!

Yasim Murtaza lbw b Gulbadin Naib 16 (43m 26b 1x4 0x6) SR: 61.53

18.4
1w
Gulbadin Naib to Yasim Murtaza, 1 wide, sprayed down leg. Murtaza swings and misses, and the umpire bails him out by stretching out his arms
18.3
0
Gulbadin Naib to Yasim Murtaza, no run, back of a length on middle and off. This skids off the surface and Murtaza, swiping across the line, is beaten for pace. That did not bounce over the stumps by much either
18.2
1
Gulbadin Naib to Ehsan Khan, 1 run, dug in shorter outside off, perhaps as a response to Ehsan advancing. He hops up onto his toes and drops it into the off side for a single
18.1
0
Gulbadin Naib to Ehsan Khan, no run, angled in on a length on off. Ehsan presses half forward and jams it back to the bowler

saikat: "Is there DRS available? " -- Yes it is, but Afghanistan have burnt both of their reviews this innings...

END OF OVER:
18 | 7 Runs | HKG: 89/7 (100 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 4.94, RRR: 50.00)

  • Yasim Murtaza16 (24b)
  • Ehsan Khan4 (6b)
  • Noor Ahmad4-0-16-1
  • Rashid Khan4-0-24-1
17.6
0
Noor Ahmad to Yasim Murtaza, no run, Noor off on a celebrappeal, only to see the umpire shake his head again! Ripping googly, pitching on a length just outside off and turning back in sharply. Murtaza is cut in half and gets rapped on the back leg. Might have been too high for the lbw, though
17.5
4
Noor Ahmad to Yasim Murtaza, FOUR, shot! Hung up on a length wide outside off. Murtaza dances down the track and blasts it past long off, beating Atal to his right!
17.5
1w
Noor Ahmad to Yasim Murtaza, 1 wide, fired down leg on a length. Murtaza misses his sweep and the keeper does well to get something behind it. Called a wide
17.4
1
Noor Ahmad to Ehsan Khan, 1 run, googly on a full length outside off. Ehsan lunges at it and nurdles it towards backward point
17.3
0
Noor Ahmad to Ehsan Khan, no run, fullish just outside leg. Ehsan gets down on the sweep again and helps it towards short fine leg
17.2
0
Noor Ahmad to Ehsan Khan, no run, length ball on middle and off. Ehsan gets down on the sweep but plays all around it. Gets struck on the front pad, inducing an lbw shout, but the umpire is unmoved. Height may have been an issue - that hit Ehsan on the flap of the front pad
17.1
1
Noor Ahmad to Yasim Murtaza, 1 run, very full just outside off. Murtaza yorks himself by advancing and clinks it towards long on

END OF OVER:
17 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | HKG: 82/7 (107 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 4.82, RRR: 35.66)

  • Ehsan Khan3 (3b)
  • Yasim Murtaza11 (21b)
  • Rashid Khan4-0-24-1
  • Noor Ahmad3-0-9-1
16.6
0
Rashid Khan to Ehsan Khan, no run, bowled from well behind the crease, on a back of a length outside off. Ehsan waits on it and edges his cut towards short third
16.5
1
Rashid Khan to Yasim Murtaza, 1 run, shortish on the hips. Not enough room to work with for Murtaza and he tugs it towards deep backward square leg
16.4
1
Rashid Khan to Ehsan Khan, 1 run, full outside off. Ehsan comes forward and pushes it enough to extra cover's left for a single
16.3
2
Rashid Khan to Ehsan Khan, 2 runs, zipped in very full on leg stump. Ehsan walks across his stumps and paddles it fine. Off the mark with a brace

Ehsan on strike now

16.2
W
Rashid Khan to Aizaz Khan, OUT, shanked and taken! Given a bit of air on a fullish length on middle and leg. Holds in the surface slightly and that meddles with Aizaz's timing as he slogs across the line. The ball swirls towards long on. Nabi seems to run in too much initially but then adjusts to take the catch over his head. Hong Kong seven down!

Aizaz Khan c Mohammad Nabi b Rashid Khan 6 (16m 10b 0x4 0x6) SR: 60

Hong Kong 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st1Zeeshan AliAnshuman Rath
2nd11Zeeshan AliBabar Hayat
3rd1Nizakat KhanBabar Hayat
4th9Babar HayatKalhan Challu
5th21KD ShahBabar Hayat
6th20Yasim MurtazaBabar Hayat
7th15Yasim MurtazaAizaz Khan
8th13Ehsan KhanYasim Murtaza
9th2Ehsan KhanA Shukla
10th1A ShuklaAteeq Iqbal