Gurbaz under the spotlight as Afghanistan face Hong Kong in the curtain-raiser for the 2025 edition of the Asia Cup.
Winless Hong Kong take on wounded Afghanistan to kick off Asia Cup as Rahmanullah Gurbaz takes centre-stage.
Even if an opening match between Afghanistan and Hong Kong doesn’t support that claim, this is the biggest non-ICC competition cricket has to offer in terms of spectators. However, there isn’t much bloat in a tight format, and Hong Kong has the bad luck of being placed in a group that includes three strong candidates for the trophy.
They have participated in 16 Twenty20 Internationals so far this year, but none of them have been nearly as good as the group they will face, which also includes Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
But perhaps this is the best moment for Hong Kong to take on Rashid Khan’s team. The match takes place on a turning surface in Sharjah, two days after Afghanistan’s hitters seemed completely unprepared against Pakistan’s spinners in a crushing loss in the tri-series final. Given the emotional toll of that loss and the short turnaround, Hong Kong may have a chance to surprise Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi.
However, that scenario is unlikely in reality. Afghanistan is one of the top teams in these circumstances, having already defeated Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates twice. They have a batting lineup that blends destructiveness with a more traditional poise, and they have a well-rounded bowling attack.
Before the tri-series final, they rotated half the team against the UAE in a dead rubber to show off their depth, yet they still prevailed. Hong Kong may feel they have a chance because of the shorter format and the schedule, but winning would still be the biggest upset in Asia Cup history.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz defies the norm that Afghanistan’s bowlers are its most well-known players. But in the just finished tri-series, Afghanistan’s best batting star had a difficult week, collecting only 98 runs at a score of less than 110, 40 of which came in a dead rubber against the United Arab Emirates.
Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal’s outstanding consistency has helped to lessen the impact of his early dismissals, but none of them can match Gurbaz’s explosiveness while playing at his best. Afghanistan just cannot advance far without his influence, and a match against Hong Kong is the perfect chance for him to roar back to his former glory.