Pakistan defeated arch-rivals India by four wickets during their second Group C fixture at the Hong Kong Sixes 2026, hosted at Mission Road Ground in Mong Kok.
Abbas Afridi, leading the Pakistan squad, won the toss and chose to field first after bouncing back from an earlier one-wicket loss to the United Arab Emirates. This win also followed India defeating Pakistan by two runs in the previous year's event.
India managed 88 runs all out within their assigned six overs. Shashank Singh scored 40 from 11 balls with two fours and five sixes, while Nitish Rana made 19 from 14 balls featuring one four and two sixes. T Natarajan finished not out on 12 from six balls containing two boundaries. Rahul Tripathi chipped in with nine runs from five balls with two fours, whereas Rahul Tewatia and captain Krunal Pandya both fell for first-ball ducks. India dropped three quick wickets after hitting 74 runs as Rana retired out and Samad removed Tewatia and Pandya back-to-back.
Abdul Samad led Pakistan's bowling with 2/10 in one over, while Ahmed Daniyal and Mohammad Shahzad took one wicket each.
Chasing 89, Pakistan started strongly as skipper Afridi hit five straight sixes off Krunal Pandya's opening over to gather 31 runs. Khawaja Nafay added 28 runs in the second over against Natarajan with five boundaries, bringing the score to 59 without loss. Shashank broke the opening stand by removing Afridi for 35 off eight balls, which included one four and five sixes.
Nafay contributed 41 from 12 balls with two fours and five sixes before Natarajan caught him off Rahul Tewatia. Irfan Khan Niazi won the match with a six on his first ball, and Samad stayed unbeaten on seven from three balls with a single six. Pakistan reached 91/2 in 3.5 overs to win with 13 balls remaining, earning Afridi the Player of the Match award.
The Hong Kong Sixes 2026 includes 12 teams split into four groups of three, with Pakistan, India, and the United Arab Emirates in Group C. Group winners move on to the Cup semifinals. The tournament uses a six-over innings format with seven-player squads where every player except the wicketkeeper must bowl.
