Bangladesh began their Asia Cup campaign against Hong Kong on Thursday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Captain Liton Das won the toss and opted to field first.

The bowlers struck early to put Hong Kong under pressure. Taskin Ahmed dismissed opener Anshuman Rath for 7 after a successful review, while pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib bowled Babar Hayat, reducing Hong Kong to 30 for 2 in 4.4 overs.

Hong Kong, coming off a heavy defeat to Afghanistan in their opening match, are desperate for a win, while Bangladesh aim to start their tournament with victory. Despite the shock loss to Hong Kong in the 2014 T20 World Cup, Bangladesh enter this clash as clear favorites.

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has reached a historic milestone in T20 cricket, becoming the first left-arm bowler to claim 500 wickets. The feat came on Sunday (24 August) during a Caribbean Premier League (CPL) match against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

Shakib bowled just two overs, conceding 11 runs and taking three wickets, including that of Pakistan star Mohammad Rizwan to complete his 500th scalp. He finished the game with 502 wickets overall.

In addition to the bowling milestone, Shakib also became the only cricketer in T20 history to combine over 500 wickets with more than 7,000 runs.

Reflecting on his achievement, Shakib said it was the result of years of hard work and expressed his delight. He admitted being frustrated after managing just one wicket in the first five CPL matches this season but felt relieved to contribute when given the chance.

Shakib credited his family for their support, saying his wife and three children, currently with him in the Caribbean, made his journey easier.

South Africa secured the three-match ODI series against Australia with one game to spare after sealing an emphatic 84-run victory in the second match on Friday. The Proteas now lead the series 2–0.

Batting first, South Africa posted 277 runs in 49.1 overs. Matthew Breetzke top-scored with a fluent 88 off 78 balls, while Tristan Stubbs added 74 off 87. For Australia, Adam Zampa claimed three wickets, while Nathan Ellis, Xavier Bartlett, and Marnus Labuschagne picked up two each.

Chasing the target, Australia faltered early, losing three wickets for just 39 runs. Josh Inglis offered some resistance with a brisk 87 off 74 balls, but the rest of the batting lineup failed to capitalize. Lungi Ngidi starred with the ball, grabbing five wickets, supported by Nandre Burger and Senuran Muthusamy with two apiece.

Australia were eventually bundled out for 193, handing South Africa a comprehensive 84-run win.