AFG vs HK, Asia Cup 2025: 1st T20I Match Prediction, Head-to-Head, Playing XI, Pitch & Injury Report

kaiggy12 08-Sep-2025 • 12:07

The Asia Cup 2025 Group B opener will take place on September 9, 8:00 PM IST, featuring Afghanistan vs Hong Kong at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi. Both teams are eager to kick off their campaign with a win, but Afghanistan enters the contest as the clear favorite. Below is a detailed preview with key stats and insights.

AFG vs HK

AFG vs HK Asia Cup 2025, Group B, 1st T20I Match Preview

Team Form (LAST 5 MATCHES)

Afghanistan

L W W W L

Hong Kong

L W W L W

Afghanistan currently sits 9th in the ICC T20I Rankings, while Hong Kong is 24th, showing a significant gap in quality. Afghanistan has won 3 of their last 5 T20Is, though their recent 75-run defeat to Pakistan exposed weaknesses in their middle-order batting depth, as a series of quick dismissals cost them the game early. Despite Afghanistan's batting collapse, 17-year-old spinner Allah Ghazanfar showed promise by fearlessly lofting a six. Against a weaker Hong Kong side, Afghanistan will look to regain confidence and start strong.

Hong Kong has also won 3 of their last 5 matches, but most of those victories came against lower-ranked teams like Singapore and Malaysia, making them less relevant as a form guide.

AFG vs HK Head-to-Head

The two sides have met 5 times in T20Is, with Afghanistan leading 3-2. Their most recent clash came during the 2016 T20 World Cup, where Afghanistan won convincingly by 6 wickets.

AFG vs HK Weather & Pitch Report

Weather (Abu Dhabi, Sep 9): Clear skies with no rain expected. Warm evening temperatures will create ideal playing conditions.

At the Zayed Cricket Stadium, T20 matches generally produce first-innings totals close to 135–140 runs. Interestingly, teams batting second have had a slight advantage here, winning 49 of the 90 matches played.

Predicted Playing XIs

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan (c), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq.

Hong Kong: Yasim Murtaza (c), Martin Coetzee, Anshuman Rath, Babar Hayat, Nizakat Khan Mohammad, Kinchit Shah (wk), Aizaz Khan, Ehsan Khan, Ayush Shukla, Nasrulla Rana, Ghazanfar Mohammad.

Key Players to Watch

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG): The explosive wicketkeeper-batter was Afghanistan's top scorer in the last T20 World Cup. His ability to dominate the powerplay makes him crucial.

Rashid Khan (AFG): The all-time leading T20I wicket-taker is Afghanistan's trump card in the middle and death overs.

Babar Hayat (HK): Hong Kong's most reliable run-getter with power-hitting potential at No. 2 or 3.

Ehsan Khan (HK): Hong Kong's leading wicket-taker in T20Is; his ability to control runs against right-handers is key to restricting Afghanistan.

Injury Report

No injury concerns reported for either side as of match day.

AFG vs HK Match Prediction

Afghanistan holds a clear advantage in experience, squad depth, and all-round strength. Winning the toss and bowling first would be a smart call, aiming to restrict Hong Kong below 150. If Afghanistan bats first, a 160–170 score would be competitive.

For Hong Kong to cause an upset, they need Babar Hayat and Anshuman Rath to fire in the first 10 overs and bowlers like Ehsan Khan to apply pressure in the middle overs. However, with Afghanistan eyeing crucial points ahead of tougher fixtures against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, expect them to push hard for a dominant start.

Toss Prediction: Bowl first, take advantage of dew, and chase comfortably.