The T20 Asian battle begins today in the UAE
Hong Kong has beaten Afghanistan once before: Fireworks begin at 8:00 PM tonight
Abu Dhabi: For millions of Indian cricket fans, a new season of international cricket begins today, as the opening match of the T20 Asia Cup will be played tonight (8:00 PM IST) at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi between Afghanistan and Hong Kong. Interestingly, Hong Kong defeated Afghanistan in a T20 match 10 years ago. India’s first match of this year’s Asia Cup will be tomorrow (8:00 PM IST) against hosts UAE in Dubai.
Eight Nations Competing
This tournament features eight teams, with most matches starting at 8:00 PM IST. India’s second match is against Pakistan on Sunday, September 14 (8:00 PM IST) in Dubai.
Group A: India, Pakistan, UAE, Oman
Group B: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Hong Kong
India’s Fixtures
- India vs UAE – Tomorrow, Dubai, 8:00 PM
- India vs Pakistan – Sunday, Dubai, 8:00 PM
- India vs Oman – September 19, Abu Dhabi, 8:00 PM
Hong Kong’s Record: Lost All 11 Matches
It might surprise many that Hong Kong has been playing in the Asia Cup for 21 years but has lost all 11 matches it has played so far.
Hong Kong’s Victory Over Afghanistan in 2015
Today’s Afghanistan vs Hong Kong clash will be played in Abu Dhabi, a venue where Afghanistan has a strong record – 11 wins and only 5 losses. However, in 2015, at this very Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Hong Kong stunned Afghanistan in a special tournament match.
Afghanistan scored 162/6 in 20 overs, but Hong Kong chased it down with 166/6 in 19.4 overs, winning by four wickets. Tanwir Afzal captained Hong Kong at the time, and the team also included Kinchit Shah, a Gujarati opener originally from Mumbai. Afghanistan’s side was relatively weaker then, led by Asghar Afghan, with Gulbadin Naib and Mohammad Shahzad among a few known players.
Hong Kong Squad Features Players of Indian Origin
Hong Kong, a territory under China’s administration for many years, has seen cricket grow slowly. This Asia Cup squad includes three players of Indian origin: Kinchit Shah, Anshuman Rath, and Ayush Shukla.
The team is led by Yasim Murtaza and mostly consists of Muslim players. Anshuman Rath (opener) and Zeeshan Ali (wicketkeeper) are among Hong Kong’s top batsmen, boasting T20 strike rates around 140.00. Another standout is Babar Hayat, who has scored over 2,200 runs in 95 T20 matches.
Afghanistan’s side, led by superstar Rashid Khan, features match-winners such as Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Noor Ahmad, and Fazalhaq Farooqi.