Match Details

Match: Bangladesh vs Hong Kong, Match 3, Group B, Asia Cup 2025

Date: Thursday, 11 September 2025

Venue: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Time: 8:00 PM IST (Indian Standard Time)

Live telecast / streaming: Sony Sports Network; streaming on Sony LIV and related platforms.

Recent Form & Context

Bangladesh have come into this match with strong momentum — they have won several recent T20I series (against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Netherlands).

Hong Kong lost heavily in their opening Asia Cup match vs Afghanistan (bowled out for ~94 chasing 188), showing weaknesses in batting depth and in the death overs.

In their only prior T20I vs Bangladesh (2014), Hong Kong pulled off a surprise win. So there is a small psychological edge or belief for HK, though much has changed since.

Pitch & Conditions (Sheikh Zayed Stadium)

The pitch in Abu Dhabi tends to favour batters early, good stroke-making opportunities. As the match progresses, spinners can get some grip and slow things down.

Average first-innings T20I scores at this venue in recent matches are quite competitive: in the 160-180 range.

Toss could be important; given dew is not expected to be much of a factor, teams might still prefer batting first to set a target and then defend.

Probable Playing XIs

Team

Probable XI

Bangladesh

Tanzid Hasan; Parvez Hossain Emon; Litton Das (c & wk); Saif Hassan; Towhid Hridoy; Jaker Ali; Mahedi Hasan; Rishad Hossain; Taskin Ahmed; Mustafizur Rahman; Tanzim Hasan Sakib

Hong Kong

Zeeshan Ali (wk); Babar Hayat; Anshuman Rath; Kalhan Challu; Nizakat Khan; Aizaz Khan; Kinchit Shah; Yasim Murtaza (c); Ayush Shukla; Ateeq Iqbal; Ehsan Khan

Key Players to Watch

Litton Das (BAN): Captain and wicket-keeper, has been in good form, likely to anchor the innings.

Taskin Ahmed (BAN): Experienced pacer; likely to be crucial in early overs to prise out wickets.

Mustafizur Rahman: His variations and death over skills will be key for Bangladesh.

Babar Hayat (HK): Among Hong Kong's best batters; needs to produce a big knock if HK are to compete.

Ehsan Khan / Yasim Murtaza (HK): HK’s spin bowling options; on a non-flat pitch later in the innings, spinners might make inroads.

Prediction & Winning Probability

Team

Strengths, Weaknesses, Estimated Winning Probability*

Bangladesh - ~75-80%

Strong batting depth; experience in Asia Cup / UAE; faster bowlers in good form; momentum.

Occasionally start slowly; may underestimate opposition; middle overs spin vulnerability.

Hong Kong- ~20-25%

Bold batting; some spin options; have the underdog advantage; few surprises possible.

Fragile batting order; poor recent performance; less experience vs full member teams; pressure to perform.

*Probabilities are subjective estimates based on form, stats and conditions.

Conclusion

Bangladesh go into this game as clear favourites. If their top order fires, and bowlers like Taskin and Mustafizur exploit early conditions, they should win comfortably. But cricket often surprises — Hong Kong will need a near-perfect performance to pull off an upset. For Bangladesh, a strong win will also help net run-rate and confidence heading into matches vs Afghanistan & Sri Lanka.

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