Afghanistan vs Hong Kong, 1st Match, Group B - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Ehsan Khan to Karim Janat, out Caught by Nizakat Khan!! Janat perishes while trying to clear the rope. 100.1ks fired full and around off, Janat cannot get under the length but he does his best, gets more height than distance on the loft and Nizakat settles under it near long-on, makes no mistake. Karim Janat c Nizakat Khan b Ehsan Khan 2(3)

Ayush Shukla to Azmatullah, out Caught by Aizaz Khan!! Shukla has the wicket but the damage has been done. That doesn't stop him from celebrating, he does a double-fist pump and lets out a roar. Another off-pace delivery, Azmatullah is through the loft early and miscues it straight up, Aizaz runs in from long-on and hangs on to a good catch. A superb knock comes to an end. Azmatullah c Aizaz Khan b Ayush Shukla 53(21) [4s-2 6s-5]

Ayush Shukla to Azmatullah, FOUR, fifty for Azmatullah. Maiden T20I fifty and it has come off 20 balls. High full toss, around the waist and Azmatullah plays a cheeky steer, opens the bat face and guides it fine to third man. This is turning into a fine knock from him

Ayush Shukla to Azmatullah, SIX, hat-trick of sixes. Azmatullah is on a roll. Shukla shortens the length, but the slower one sits up nicely, Azmatullah waits and deposits the pull over the deep mid-wicket fence

Ayush Shukla to Azmatullah, SIX, this is even better. Azmatullah is playing a blinder. Full pitcher around off, he makes room and gets under the length, smokes it over deep extra cover and the ball lands on the grass banks once again

Ayush Shukla to Azmatullah, SIX, runs coming at a rapid pace now. 113.8ks slower ball bowled into the surface, but Azmatullah charges down and creates his own pace, flat-bats it down the ground and sends it sailing in front of the sightscreen

Ehsan Khan to Azmatullah, SIX, Azmatullah pumps the next ball out of the park. This is fraction short and he is quick to latch on, rocks back and hammers the pull well over deep mid-wicket

Ehsan Khan to Azmatullah, 2 runs, dropped! Rath the culprit this time. The disappointing part is the senior members of Hong Kong have been poor in the field. Azmatullah mistimes the loft to long-off and Rath runs in, gets there but does not hold on. He got both hands but still couldn't cling on

Ehsan Khan to Azmatullah, 1 run, 92ks fired full and around off, Azmatullah miscues the loft to long-off

Ateeq Iqbal to Sediqullah Atal, FOUR, massive over, 25 runs. Game-changing over. Full toss outside off, Sediqullah sits down and laps it past square leg. The field was up on the leg-side and Sediqullah took advantage of it

Ateeq Iqbal to Sediqullah Atal, SIX, back to back sixes. This one just clears the rope. Sediqullah has decided to get on with it. Length delivery angled across, Sediqullah moves to the off-side and heaves it towards cow corner

Ateeq Iqbal to Sediqullah Atal, SIX, once again Sediqullah punishes Hong Kong right after being dropped. This is fraction short, he moves across and gets under it, launches the pull towards deep square leg and sends it sailing onto the grass banks

Ateeq Iqbal to Azmatullah, FOUR, another fumble. Fraction short and outside off, Azmatullah cracks it towards backward point and the fielder allows the ball to escape past his fingers. The ball landed in front of him and he could not get his fingers behind

Yasim Murtaza to Sediqullah Atal, no run, dropped! Sediqullah continues to ride his luck.. Third drop for him. This was another sitter. Sediqullah goes for the reverse sweep but the ball does not arrive, he gets a top-edge and the ball balloons to short third, Ehsan Khan makes a mess of a simple catch. He points towards the floodlights but that's no excuse

Yasim Murtaza to Azmatullah, SIX, shot! It is so difficult to generate power when Murtaza is bowling so slow. 83.4ks flighted delivery, Azmatullah sits down and times the slog sweep superbly, clears deep mid-wicket with ease

Kinchit Shah to Sediqullah Atal, 2 runs, fifty for Sediqullah. He was dropped in the very first over and Sediqullah has made the most of it. He has held one end up and now is well-set to take Afghanistan to a competitive total. Flatter delivery around off, punched in front of square and once again well-placed, sweeper tidies up but can't prevent the second

Yasim Murtaza to Sediqullah Atal, 1 run, dropped! Tough return chance and Murtaza cannot hold on. 72.1ks very slow and the ball sticks to the surface, Sediqullah checks his push and chips it back, gets enough elevation as Murtaza had to leap up and he goes with one, the ball does not stick and rolls behind

Kinchit Shah to Gulbadin, out Caught by Yasim Murtaza!! Second wicket for Kinchit. Very similar to the way Nabi was dismissed. He sticks to round the wicket and drifts it across at a slow pace, Gulbadin attempts to loft down the ground and gets it high on the bat, the ball goes straight up and Murtaza settles near cover, he makes no mistake this time. Gulbadin c Yasim Murtaza b Kinchit Shah 5(8)

Kinchit Shah to Sediqullah Atal, SIX, finally Sediqullah gets hold of one. The pressure was building on him and he needed a release shot, this was quicker and on the shorter side, Sediqullah rocks back and nails the pull over deep mid-wicket

Kinchit Shah to Nabi, out Caught by Nizakat Khan!! Wicket right after the break. The partnership has been broken. Kinchit Shah is delighted. Drifted across from round the wicket, there was room on offer and Nabi decides to go down the ground, he ends up slicing it towards long-off and Nizakat hangs on to a simpler catch this time. Much needed wicket for Hong Kong.. Nabi c Nizakat Khan b KD Shah 33(26) [4s-3 6s-1]

Yasim Murtaza to Sediqullah Atal, 1 run, flighted around off, Sediqullah works it down to long-on

Aizaz Khan to Nabi, FOUR, another boundary against Aizaz. Nabi giving the impetus to the innings in this middle phase. This was neatly played. He waited for the ball to arrive and steers it behind square, beats short third and the ball races away. The fielder should have done better there

Aizaz Khan to Nabi, FOUR, Nabi is taking Aizaz Khan to the cleaners. He continues to smack him around. Short and wide outside off, enough width for Nabi, he stands and slaps it over extra cover, one bounce and over the ropes

Aizaz Khan to Nabi, SIX, Nabi has decided to step on the accelerator. Follows the four with a maximum. Full and outside off, he backs away and gives himself space to free his hands, lofts towards long-off and clears the fence comfortably

Aizaz Khan to Nabi, FOUR, this time the sweeper has no chance. Full and outside off, width on offer and Nabi goes full-throttle on the drive, hits it uppishly over extra cover and beats sweeper in the deep

Ayush Shukla to Sediqullah Atal, FOUR, shot! Fullish delivery and there was width on offer, Sediqullah extends his arms and creams the drive in front of square, beats a diving mid-off and there's no chasing that

Ateeq Iqbal to Ibrahim Zadran, out Caught by Zeeshan Ali!! Two in two overs. This is a massive wicket for Hong Kong. Ibrahim has been Mr. Consistent for Afghanistan and he goes cheaply. Another good catch. Good length ball outside off, not quite there for the drive but Ibrahim tries to play this on the rise and the ball nibbles away a bit, kisses the outside edge and Zeeshan Ali takes a sharp catch standing up to the stumps. Ibrahim Zadran c Zeeshan Ali b Ateeq Iqbal 1(4)

Ayush Shukla to Gurbaz, out Caught by Nizakat Khan!! Shukla has his wicket. He's pumped. Excellent catch by Nizakat. Gurbaz's poor run extends to one more game. He tries to repeat the previous shot but miscues it horribly. Fullish delivery and swings away a bit, Gurbaz shimmies down and lofts through the line, gets it off the outer half and the ball skies over mid-off, Nizakat runs back and reverse cups it safely. That ball went very high and Nizakat had plenty of time, but he kept his eyes on the ball and pouched it safely. Gurbaz c Nizakat Khan b Ayush Shukla 8(5) [6s-1]

Ayush Shukla to Gurbaz, SIX, first maximum of the tournament. Gurbaz's first ball against Shukla and he charges down, there is a bit of away swing but Gurbaz lofts with the movement, right off the middle and the ball sails over long-off

Ateeq Iqbal to Sediqullah Atal, FOUR, in the air and safe. Hint of width on offer and Sediqullah goes reaching for it, flays it in front of square and manages to evade the oustretched hand of the diving cover fielder. The outfield is quick as the ball raced away from the chasing fielders

Ayush Shukla to Sediqullah Atal, FOUR, now a misfield. Not the best of starts for Hong Kong. Angling down leg and Sediqullah helps it along to short fine, straightforward stop and the fielder manages to parry it away to the fence

Ayush Shukla to Sediqullah Atal, FOUR, this is just rubbing salt into the wound. Good length ball around off, Sediqullah presents the full face of the bat and lofts it through the line. Right off the middle and the ball clears mid-on comfortably

Ayush Shukla to Sediqullah Atal, no run, dropped! Oh no! It is the skipper and he has put down a regulation catch. Back of a length delivery, in the channel and the ball straightens a tad, Sediqullah has a tentative poke and the outside edge goes around knee height to slip, Murtaza bends down and shells it. Not sure if the ball even hit his hand, might have struck him on the wrist before going down

Ayush Shukla to Sediqullah Atal, FOUR, Sediqullah and Afghanistan are off the mark. Short and angled in from round the wicket, Sediqullah swivels around and pulls it behind square. He generated a lot of power while on the swivel and the ball raced away