AFG Vs Hong Kong: Possible Playing 11 For Asia Cup 2025 Opener

The Afghanistan vs Hong Kong, first Asia Cup 2025 opener starts tonight at 7:30 PM (Pakistan Time) in Abu Dhabi. Both teams arrive with contrasting form but equal urgency to start strong in this high-pressure tournament.

Afghanistan will be eager to bounce back after their defeat to Pakistan in the UAE tri-series final just two days ago. The quick turnaround may test their resilience, but Rashid Khan’s side remains one of the most formidable in these conditions. They carry momentum from earlier victories over Pakistan and the UAE, built on their depth in spin and all-round strength.

The spotlight is on Rahmanullah Gurbaz, brahim Zadran, and Sediqullah Atal as top order in form batters from Afghanistan. 

For Hong Kong, the challenge is steep. Drawn in a group with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, they enter as underdogs. Still, openers Anshuman Rath and Zeeshan Ali have been their shining lights this year, both registering T20I hundreds and striking above 140. Rath, in particular, has been in prolific touch, averaging nearly 50 across formats in 2025.

Except for the final match against Pakistan, Afghanistan have already played well in the UAE Tri-series. They have spin-heavy attack, featuring Noor Ahmad alongside Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi. Hong Kong, rely on their batting core and disciplined seamers to pull off an upset.

Abu Dhabi conditions generally suit batters a little more than Dubai, but Afghanistan’s record here is formidable 11 wins in 16 T20Is. Interestingly, their only loss against Hong Kong at this venue came back in 2015. This adds a historic edge to the fixture.

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

For Hong Kong, even staying competitive will be seen as progress. Afghanistan wants nothing less than a dominant win to satisfy fans and build momentum for bigger challenges later in the tournament.