Chittagong: Mohammad Shahzad and Shafiqullah Shafiq hit aggressive half-centuries to help Afghanistan beat Hong Kong by seven wickets in the World Twenty20 tournament here on Tuesday.
Shahzad notched up a fiery 53-ball 68 while Shafiq smashed a career-best 50 not out off just 24 balls to help Afghanistan reach their 154-run target with 12 balls to spare in the Group A match.
Shahzad, who was in miserable form in the preceding Asia Cup and was out for nought in the first game against Bangladesh, hit three sixes and six boundaries in a chancy knock.
Shafiq completed the task with a well-timed boundary to complete his maiden fifty and seal the win. Shahzad had his full share of luck. Sloppy Hong Kong fielding gave him two lives, on 25 and 64.
Brief scores
Hong Kong 153/8 in 20 overs (M. Chapman 38, Waqas Barkat 32, Jamie Atkinson 31, Shapoor Zadran 2/27, Mohammad Nabi 2/27, Hamza
Hotak 2/32) lost to Afghanistan 154/3 in 18 overs (Mohammad Shahzad 68, Shafiqullah Shafiq 51 n.o).
