Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan won the toss and elected to bat first to take advantage of the good wicket. However, the rivals bowled well, dismissing Ibrahim Zadran (1) and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (8) early in the innings.
However, Sediqullah Atal didn’t give up and played an impressive knock of 73 runs off 52 balls, laced with 6 fours and 3 sixes.
He was assisted by Mohammad Nabi, who amassed 33 runs off 26 deliveries, with the help of 3 fours and 1 six. The two added 51 runs. Nabi’s dismissal brought Gulbadin Naib in the middle, but he managed just 5 runs.
JUST NOW
Azmatullah Omarzai, the no.6 batter, came out all guns blazing. He smashed 53 runs off 21 balls, packed with 5 sixes and 2 fours, taking the score to 188/6 in 20 overs. It is the fastest fifty for Afghanistan in T20Is.
Kinchit Shah and Ayush Shukla took two wickets each for Hong Kong.