Will Bangladesh Triumph Against Unchanged Hong Kong in the Asia Cup?
                                    
                                    
                                    
                                Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Bangladesh's Team Composition: Three seamers, two spinners, and six batters.
 - Pitch Conditions: Dry with potential challenges for bowlers.
 - Hong Kong's Recovery: Aiming to bounce back after a heavy defeat.
 - Importance of the Match: Every game is crucial for both teams.
 - Historical Context: Bangladesh seeks its first T20I win in Abu Dhabi.
 
Abu Dhabi, Sep 11 (NationPress) In a thrilling start to the 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup Group B at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Bangladesh has won the toss and opted to bowl first against an unchanged Hong Kong team.
Historically, Bangladesh has yet to achieve a T20I victory in Abu Dhabi, while Hong Kong seeks its first-ever win in the Asia Cup. Arriving at this match with a surge of confidence, Bangladesh recently triumphed in series against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands.
“This is our initial match, and we are uncertain about how the pitch will perform, so we decided to bowl. We’ve been playing exceptional cricket in our last three series, but these conditions are different. Our lineup includes three seamers, two spinners, and six batters. Every match holds significance for us, and we must give our all,” stated Bangladesh's captain, Litton Das.
Conversely, Hong Kong endured a challenging start, suffering a significant 94-run defeat to Afghanistan in their opening game and is eager to recover. Captain Yasir Murtaza expressed a desire to bat first.
“We got what we aimed for. We made some errors in the middle order during our last game. Whatever happened is behind us; today is a fresh opportunity,” he remarked.
According to former cricketers Bazid Khan and Russell Arnold, the pitch appears quite dry after previous use, with some cracks visible. “It has received good watering and rolling in the past two days. The ball will slide well, and we don't expect much assistance for the bowlers. It's crucial to utilize the wind to our advantage,” they noted.
Playing XIs:
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Parvez Hossain Emon, Litton Das (captain & wk), Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali, Mahedi Hasan, Tanzim Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, and Mustafizur Rahman.
Hong Kong: Zeeshan Ali (wk), Anshuman Rath, Babar Hayat, Nizakat Khan, Kalhan Challu, Kinchit Shah, Yasim Murtaza (captain), Aizaz Khan, Ayush Shukla, Ateeq Iqbal, and Ehsan Khan.