Bangladesh Beats Hong Kong by 7 Wickets in Asia Cup Opener

Bangladesh began their Asia Cup 2025 campaign in Abu Dhabi with a solid win against Hong Kong. The match ended with Bangladesh scoring 144 for 3, chasing down Hong Kong’s total of 143 for 7. Litton Das scored a quick 59, and Towhid Hridoy contributed an unbeaten 35. Bowlers like Tanzim Hasan Sakib and Rishad Hossain played key roles, helping Bangladesh secure a comfortable seven-wicket victory.

This win gave Bangladesh the points they wanted to start their Asia Cup journey. However, it was not an easy chase. Hong Kong made them work for every run and showed improvement after their opening defeat to Afghanistan.

Bangladesh’s Batting Performance

Bangladesh’s chase began with early aggression. Parvez Hossain Emon opened well and scored 19 off 13 balls but was dismissed when he misjudged a slower delivery from Hong Kong’s Ayush Shukla, sending the ball to deep midwicket in the third over. Tanzid Hasan followed soon after in the sixth over, edging Ateeq Iqbal to Nizakat Khan, who took a sharp running catch from mid-off.

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Even with these early setbacks, Bangladesh managed to maintain control. The key was Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy’s partnership. Litton, known for his attacking style, started cautiously, scoring 26 off 24 balls. He then accelerated, reaching his fifty in just 33 balls. Towhid Hridoy complemented him well, staying unbeaten on 35 runs off 36 balls.

During the middle overs, boundaries were rare. Both Litton and Hridoy focused on running between the wickets, turning singles into twos. In fact, Bangladesh ran 16 twos during their innings, which was their second-highest total of twos in T20I history. Their constant running tired them under the Abu Dhabi heat but kept the scoreboard moving and eventually put Hong Kong out of contention.

In the 13th over, Litton Das changed the game with two powerful fours against Shukla. This increased his strike rate from just over 100 to 151.28. With only two runs needed for victory, Litton was bowled while trying to hit a big shot, but by then, Bangladesh had already secured the win with 14 balls to spare.

Hong Kong’s Batting Effort

Hong Kong put up a much better fight than in their first Asia Cup match against Afghanistan, where they were limited to just 94 runs. In this game, they managed 143 for 7. Nizakat Khan scored 42 runs, and Zeeshan Ali contributed 30. Their captain, Yasim Murtaza, added 28 runs in a brisk innings.

The most significant moment for Hong Kong was the third-wicket partnership between Nizakat and Zeeshan. Together, they scored 41 runs and helped their team post a competitive total. However, once Bangladesh’s batsmen Litton and Hridoy came together, Hong Kong struggled to stop the run chase.

Murtaza, who looked like he could take control, was run out after a mix-up with Nizakat. Since 2023, this was Hong Kong’s 47th run-out in T20Is. After Murtaza’s dismissal, Hong Kong couldn’t find the big hits they needed, although they still managed to score 54 runs in the last six overs.

Bangladesh’s Bowling and Fielding Performance

Bangladesh’s bowlers played a crucial role in keeping Hong Kong under pressure. Tanzim Hasan Sakib led the bowling attack. He bowled at speeds around 140 kmph and produced some excellent deliveries. His first big moment came when he bowled Babar Hayat with a late-swinging ball that beat the bat. He then dismissed Zeeshan Ali with a rising ball that popped up to the fielder at cover. Tanzim finished with 2 wickets for 21 runs in four overs.

Taskin Ahmed also contributed well with the ball, taking key wickets at important times. He removed Anshy Rath during the powerplay and dismissed Aizaz Khan at the death overs.

The spinners had their moments too. Rishad Hossain bowled with precision and managed to dismiss Nizakat Khan and Kinchit Shah off consecutive balls towards the end of Hong Kong’s innings, showing that the bowling attack was well-rounded and effective in all conditions.

Key Partnerships and Moments

The match had several important moments that decided the outcome. Bangladesh’s 95-run partnership between Litton and Hridoy was the turning point. While Hong Kong fielded well and held onto their catches, they gave away extra runs – 17 in total – which helped Bangladesh gain an advantage.

Despite a few dropped chances, Hong Kong’s bowlers managed to apply some pressure. Yet, Bangladesh’s quick running between the wickets prevented the required run rate from getting too high, allowing them to chase down the target comfortably.

Hong Kong Shows Improvement but Falls Short

After a disappointing first match in the Asia Cup, Hong Kong looked more stable. Nizakat and Zeeshan played carefully, and their captain Murtaza’s quick runs boosted the score. However, the team could not convert starts into a match-winning total.

Bangladesh’s disciplined bowling and smart running between the wickets eventually ended Hong Kong’s hopes of causing an upset. Hong Kong scored 143 for 7, which was an improvement from their last match, but still not enough to challenge Bangladesh.

Milestones and Records

• This was Bangladesh’s first T20I win in Abu Dhabi.

• Hong Kong remains winless in Asia Cup matches.

• Bangladesh’s 16 twos in the innings were their second-highest in T20I history.

• Litton Das scored his fifty in 33 balls, demonstrating his aggressive batting style.

• Hong Kong’s 47th run-out since 2023 highlighted ongoing issues in running between wickets.

Bangladesh started their Asia Cup campaign on a positive note, winning comfortably but not without challenges. The team showed good teamwork, combining smart running between the wickets, aggressive batting from Litton Das, and steady support from Towhid Hridoy. Their bowlers, led by Tanzim Hasan Sakib, kept Hong Kong in check despite moments of resistance.

Hong Kong, while improving from their previous game, still need more consistency in both batting and running between the wickets. They showed glimpses of potential, but Bangladesh’s experience and strategy proved too strong on the day.

Bangladesh will look to carry this momentum forward in the Asia Cup, while Hong Kong will aim to regroup and perform better in their next matches.

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