Bangladesh defeated Hong Kong-China by seven wickets in their Group B match of the Asia Cup 2025 on Thursday in Abu Dhabi. Hong Kong-China posted 143 for 7 in 20 overs, with Nizakat Khan finishing as their top scorer. Litton Das led the chase with a confident 59 runs, while Towhid Hridoy remained unbeaten on 35 runs. Together, they built a 95-run stand for the third wicket, which sealed the game for Bangladesh. Though boundaries dried up in the middle overs, Bangladesh used smart running to keep the scoreboard moving.

Once Hong Kong’s bowlers lost momentum, Litton shifted gears. He went from 26 off 24 balls to a half-century in just 33 deliveries. With only two runs needed for victory, he fell attempting a big shot, but the game was already beyond Hong Kong’s reach. The win gave Bangladesh crucial points, but Hong Kong made them work hard for it.

Hong Kong’s Stronger Performance

Hong Kong bounced back after a poor outing against Afghanistan, where they were restricted to 94 for 9. This time, they posted a competitive 143 for 7.

Nizakat Khan scored 42 runs, Zeeshan Ali added 30, and captain Yasim Murtaza hit a quick 28 off 19 balls. Their innings gained stability through a 41-run third-wicket partnership between Zeeshan and Nizakat, which helped prevent a collapse.

Murtaza briefly threatened to shift the momentum but was run out after a mix-up with Nizakat. This was Hong Kong’s 47th run-out in T20Is since 2023, showing a recurring problem in their game.

Despite scoring 54 runs in the last six overs, they could not push past Bangladesh’s disciplined bowling attack.

Bangladesh’s Chase: A Smart Approach

Bangladesh started with aggressive intent. Parvez Hossain Emon scored a brisk 19 off 13 balls before miscuing a slower delivery from Ayush Sharma in the third over. Tanzid Hasan departed in the sixth over after edging a ball from Ateeq Iqbal, leaving Bangladesh at 51 for 2 at the end of the powerplay.

Hong Kong, who dropped four catches in their previous game, held on to their chances this time. However, their bowlers conceded 17 extras, which kept Bangladesh ahead.

From overs eight to twelve, Litton and Hridoy did not hit a single boundary. Instead, they focused on quick singles and doubles, running 11 twos between them. This smart running ensured the required run rate never climbed above eight per over.

The intense sprinting drained the batters in the heat but also wore out Hong Kong’s bowlers. Litton then switched to attacking mode in the 13th over, striking two boundaries and finishing with a strike rate of 151.28.

Tanzim Sets the Tone with the Ball

Bangladesh chose to bowl first, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib made an immediate impact. Bowling at speeds in the early 140s kph, he dismissed Babar Hayat with a late-swinging delivery that crashed into the stumps.

Later, he removed Zeeshan Ali with a sharp bouncer that ballooned to cover. Tanzim finished with 2 for 21 in four overs, setting the tone for Bangladesh’s bowling effort.

Taskin Ahmed also chipped in, taking two key wickets — Anshuman Rath during the powerplay and Aizaz Khan in the final overs.

The spinners played their part too. Though initially countered by sweeps and reverse sweeps, Rishad Hossain came back strong in his final over, the 19th of the innings. He dismissed Nizakat Khan and trapped Kinchit Shah lbw with consecutive deliveries.