Last Updated:
Bangladesh defeated Hong Kong by seven wickets in the Asia Cup, with Litton Das scoring 59 and Towhid Hridoy unbeaten on 35 after restricting Hong Kong to 143 for 7.
Asia Cup 2025: Bangladesh’s Litton Das celebrates his fifty against Hong Kong (AP)
Skipper Litton Das led Bangladesh to a comfortable seven-wicket victory against Hong Kong in their Asia Cup opener on Thursday.
Bangladesh showcased disciplined bowling to restrict Hong Kong to 143 runs. Das then anchored his team’s chase, scoring a solid half-century with 59 runs off 39 balls.
Though Hong Kong briefly pressured Bangladesh during the chase, the Test-playing nation shifted gears to complete the job in 17.4 overs. This marked Hong Kong’s second consecutive loss in the tournament.
How Bangladesh Beat Hong Kong In Asia Cup?
Opener Parvez Hossain Emon scored 19 runs off 14 balls, hitting several boundaries to give Bangladesh a strong start. However, runs became scarce during the middle overs, and Bangladesh went 33 balls without finding a boundary after the powerplay.
Das paced his innings well, slog-sweeping Yasim Murtaza for a six and collecting a couple to bring up his fifty. The 15th over from Murtaza yielded 16 runs, fueling Bangladesh’s onslaught towards the end.
Towhid Hridoy scored 35 not out off 36 balls, providing the necessary support to Das during their 95-run stand. After Das’s dismissal, Hridoy hit the winning run, completing a professional performance by Bangladesh.
Under new captain Das, Bangladesh has had a T20 reset and dominated the powerplay after opting to bowl.
Spinner Mahedi Hasan bowled the first over, but it was the pace duo of Taskin Ahmed and Tanzim Hasan Sakib that troubled Hong Kong’s top order. With some swing and seam available with the new ball, the pacers exploited it well.
Taskin dismissed Anshuman Rath, who scored 4 runs, caught behind in his first over. Tanzim then bowled Babar Hayat, who scored 14 runs off 12 balls, after Hayat had hit him for a straight six. An outswinger from Tanzim followed, rattling Hayat’s stumps.
Hong Kong struggled to 34 for two during the powerplay.
Opener Zeeshan Ali played a few crisp strokes and scored 30 runs off 34 balls, including a six over extra cover off leg-spinner Rishad Hossain. He was dismissed by Mustafizur Rahman in the 12th over.
With a balanced mix of pacers and spinners, Bangladesh’s bowling unit looked potent, making it difficult for Hong Kong batters to score.
Hong Kong captain Yasim Murtaza tried to boost the scoring rate and scored 28 runs off 19 balls. His standout strike was a pick-up shot off Tanzim that went into the stands.
Thanks to Murtaza’s efforts, Hong Kong managed to cross the 140-run mark.
Brief Scores:
Hong Kong 143 for 7 in 20 overs (Nizakat Khan Zeeshan Ali 30; Tanzim Hasan Sakib 2/21, Rishad Hossain 2/31, Taskin Ahmed 2/38).
Bangladesh 144/3 in 17.4 overs (Litton Das 59, Towhid Hridoy 35 not out).
(With inputs from PTI)
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes cricket content, havin…Read More
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes cricket content, havin… Read More
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
September 11, 2025, 23:53 IST
Read More
