Afghanistan vs Hong Kong: The Asia Cup 2025 will kick off today on September 9 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, with Afghanistan facing Hong Kong in the first Group B match. The match will start at 8:00 pm IST.
In India, the game will be shown live on the Sony Sports Network. Fans can also watch the live streaming of the match on the SonyLiv app and website. The toss for the opening match between Afghanistan and Hong Kong will be held at 7:30 PM IST.
Afghanistan vs Hong Kong: Weather and pitch report
The Abu Dhabi pitch usually helps batters, making it easier to score runs, but bowlers tend to come into the game as it goes on. Slower balls may be tough to play, so batters will need to be careful.
Unlike Dubai, Abu Dhabi isn’t as spin-friendly, which could slightly reduce Afghanistan’s strength. The match is expected to be played in warm and humid evening conditions.
Afghanistan vs Hong Kong: Head-to-head record
Afghanistan and Hong Kong have faced each other 5 times so far. Afghanistan has won 3 matches, while Hong Kong has won 2. None of their games have ended in a tie or with no result. Their first-ever clash was on March 18, 2014, and the most recent one took place on March 10, 2016.
Afghanistan vs Hong Kong: Predicted playing XIs
Afghanistan: Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Hong Kong: Yasim Murtaza (c), Anshy Rath, Martin Coetzee, Kinchit Shah, Shahid Wasif, Zeeshan Ali (wk), Aizaz Khan, Nizakat Khan, Ateeq Iqbal, Ali Hassan, Ehsan Khan.
Afghanistan vs Hong Kong: Players to watch
Sediqullah Atal – Best Batter: The left-handed opener impressed during the UAE Tri-Series with some crucial innings. If he continues in the same form, he could be the difference-maker with the bat in this game.
Rashid Khan – Best Bowler: The Afghanistan captain is back in rhythm after a below-par IPL 2025. His experience and recent form make him the biggest threat for Hong Kong’s batters, and he’ll look to lead by example with the ball.