The Asia Cup remains the biggest non-ICC cricket tournament in terms of audience, and while an opener between Afghanistan and Hong Kong might not instantly showcase its appeal, the competition’s tight format leaves little room for mismatches. Unfortunately for Hong Kong, they find themselves grouped with three strong title contenders, making their task especially daunting.

Hong Kong have already played 16 T20Is this year, but none against opposition of the caliber they now face. To prepare, they arrived in the UAE nearly three weeks early, playing four warm-up games—two against Oman and two against local clubs—splitting the results evenly. Those outcomes reflect both their current level and the uphill battle awaiting them against last year’s T20 World Cup semi-finalists.

For Hong Kong, there may never be a better moment to face Afghanistan. Just two days ago, Rashid Khan’s side suffered a heavy loss to Pakistan in the tri-series final at Sharjah, where their batting faltered against spin. The quick turnaround and emotional setback could leave Afghanistan vulnerable, offering Hong Kong a small opening in Abu Dhabi.

Realistically, though, the odds remain stacked against them. Afghanistan are proven performers in these conditions, with recent wins over Pakistan and the UAE highlighting their strength. Their bowling attack is varied and potent, while the batting unit blends firepower with consistency. Even when rotating heavily against the UAE, they still secured victory, showing their depth. For Hong Kong, winning here would require nothing short of the biggest upset in Asia Cup history.

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Team News

Afghanistan have leaned towards an extra spinner since bringing Noor Ahmad back into the XI, and are likely to field a side similar to the one that faced Pakistan in the final.

Afghanistan (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 (probable XI): Anshuman Rath, Zeeshan Ali (wk), Babar Hayat, Nizakat Khan, Matthew Coetzee, Yasim Murtaza (c), Ehsan Khan, Aizaz Khan, Ateeq Iqbal, Nasrulla Rana, Ayush Shukla.

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