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Afghanistan choose to bat, recall Naib for Asia Cup opener against Hong Kong

Afghanistan have decided to bat first in Abu Dhabi, a call captain Rashid Khan thought through carefully even if, as he put it, “In T20s the toss doesn’t matter as much as giving yourself the best chance.” The logic is simple: score on a fresh surface, then let the spinners squeeze later.

Only one alteration has been made to the side that lost the tri-series final to Pakistan two days ago. Darwish Rasooli sits out, with the more versatile Gulbadin Naib asked to add depth in the middle order and an extra seam option. It is the first of six Twenty20 internationals Afghanistan play in the space of 13 days, so a little rotation was always on the cards.

The pitch has raised eyebrows. Local curators say there is about 3.5 mm of grass on top, surprisingly lush for Abu Dhabi. That hint of greenery persuaded Hong Kong skipper Yasim Murtaza to bowl had he won the toss, but he was quick to stress his side’s batting intent. He tipped 22-year-old Kalhan Challu as one to watch after the right-hander’s rescue act against Samoa in July.

Teams
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (c), Noor Ahmad, AM Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi.

Hong Kong: Anshuman Rath, Zeeshan Ali (wk), Babar Hayat, Kalhan Challu, Nizakat Khan, Aizaz Khan, KD Shah, Yasim Murtaza (c), A Shukla, Ateeq Iqbal, Ehsan Khan.

Early runs for Gurbaz and company could set the tone, yet that sliver of grass means Farooqi’s new-ball spell and Naib’s cutters might be just as decisive later on. Hong Kong, meanwhile, will rely on Rath’s calm and Challu’s brute force. A straightforward call at the toss, perhaps, but plenty of nuance lies beneath.

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