Atal, Omarzai give Afghanistan winning start in Asia Cup opener

Riding on blitzkrieg fifties of Azmatullah Omarzai and Sediqullah Atal, Afghanistan routed Hong Kong by 95 runs in the opening match of the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

After posting a huge total of 188/6, Afghanistan restricted Hong Kong to a paltry total of 95.

Earlier, Afghanistan all-rounder Omarzai lit up the Asia Cup 2025 clash against Hong Kong with a whirlwind knock, smashing a blistering 53 off just 21 deliveries.

In the process, he became the fastest Afghan batter to score a half-century in T20 internationals. With this innings, Omarzai etched his name into Afghanistan’s cricketing record books. He broke the previous fastest-fifty mark held jointly by Mohammad Nabi and Gulbadin Naib, both of whom had reached fifties in 21 balls. Nabi had achieved his milestone against Ireland, while Naib’s came against India.

Batting first, Afghanistan were wobbling at 95/4 when Omarzai walked in. Showing positive intent from the outset, he counterattacked fearlessly, taking on the bowlers with clean striking. His assault included three consecutive sixes off Ayush Shukla’s over, a passage of play that shifted the momentum decisively in Afghanistan’s favour.

Omarzai raced to his half-century in just 20 balls - the quickest in Afghanistan’s T20I history - before falling on 53. His explosive knock was laced with five sixes and two fours and provided the perfect acceleration in the death overs. Together with opener Sediqullah Atal, who anchored the innings with an unbeaten 73 off 52 balls, Omarzai stitched an 82-run partnership that powered Afghanistan to a daunting 188/6 in their 20 overs.

Two early wickets impacted the scoring rate, but Atal and Nabi stitched a vital partnership in the middle and kept the scoreboard moving as Afghanistan reached 41/2 at the end of the powerplay. Nabi took a special liking towards pacer Aizaz Khan and struck him for a four and a six in his first over of the spell. In his next over, Nabi smashed Khan for two more boundaries as Afghanistan reached 77/2 at the halfway mark.

Spinner Kinchit Shah finally broke the 51-run partnership in the 11th over, with Nabi handing a catch to long-off and departing after scoring 33. Gulbadin Naib, who struck the Shah for a six over deep mid-wicket, failed to carry the momentum and was dismissed by the spinner in the 13th over to put pressure on Afghanistan. Azmatullah Omarzai joined Atal in the middle.

Meanwhile, Atal completed his well-deserved and disciplined half-century in 41 balls.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka add Janith Liyanage to Asia Cup squad Dubai, Sep 9 (IANS) Sri Lanka have added middle-order batter Janith Liyanage to their Asia Cup squad, marking his first T20I appearance in three years.

The 17-member squad, led by Charith Asalanka, will kick off their campaign against Bangladesh on September 13 in Abu Dhabi. Liyanage, 30, is recognised as a white-ball specialist, with 28 ODIs under his belt, amassing 824 runs, alongside three previous T20I appearances.

Liyanage impressed in the recent ODI series against Zimbabwe in Harare, contributing an unbeaten 70 and 19 to help Sri Lanka secure a 2-0 sweep.

His last appearance in T20 internationals, however, came back in February 2022, when he featured against India in Dharamsala.

The all-rounder Liyanage has already joined the Sri Lankan contingent in Dubai, travelling alongside premier spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, who is making his comeback from a hamstring injury and will soon integrate with the squad.

Liyanage’s addition strengthens Sri Lanka’s pool of seam-bowling all-rounders, bolstering the lineup alongside Dasun Shanaka and Chamika Karunaratne.

Fresh off a white-ball series in Zimbabwe, the Sri Lankan side touched down in Dubai on Tuesday and will remain based in Abu Dhabi for the group stage. After their clash against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka will take on Hong Kong on September 15 and Afghanistan on September 18 in Group B.

Sri Lanka have finished as runners-up in the last edition of the continental tournament after losing against India in the summit clash. The island nation has won the Asia Cup six times, only behind India’s eight titles.

Sri Lanka squad: Charith Asalanka (C), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Dasun Shanaka, Janith Liyanage, Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana.

Agencies