Hong Kong: India beat Pakistan by two runs in a rain-filled match in the 2025 Hong Kong Sixes at the Mission Road Ground in Mong Kok on Friday.
Chasing a target of 87 runs in the allotted six overs, Pakistan were 41-1 in three overs when rain halted the match. As per the DLS method, India was declared the winner, having scored more runs in the same phase of the innings.
Pakistan started strongly as opener Khawaja Navai sent Abhimanyu Mithun’s delivery towards the leg side for an early boundary after a couple of singles.
Navai created some space for himself and hit two consecutive sixes, putting India under pressure by scoring 18 runs in the first half.
In the second, Moaz Sadaqat hit Stuart Binny for a six, but the veteran quickly responded by dismissing Sadaqat for seven runs off just three balls.
Abdul Samad came on to join Navai and managed a single, while Navai struggled to connect with the next three deliveries, leaving Pakistan at 25-1 after two overs.
Shahbaz Nadeem was introduced in the third over and conceded 16 runs as Navai hit a four and a six to keep the chase alive. But the rains washed away Pakistan’s hopes.
Earlier, it was India who were batting first, restricted to 86 at the ground as 110 or more were chased down. Openers Robin Uthappa and Bharat Chipli managed to score 34 runs in just two overs.
Uthappa made 28 off 12 balls with three sixes and two fours before he was dismissed by Mohammed Shahzad, who responded strongly after an expensive start.
Shehzad also removed Binny, reducing India to 46-2.
Skipper Dinesh Karthik and Chipley then stabilized the innings, with Chipley scoring 24 off 13 before falling in the penultimate over.
Karthik added a six in the final over to take India to 86-4. Despite India’s good start, Pakistani bowlers – especially Shehzad and Moaz Sadaqat – regained control in the later overs to restrict the total.
In the first match, Pakistan defeated Kuwait in a last-ball thriller courtesy of skipper Abbas Afridi’s match-winning fifty who also smashed six sixes in the over.
At one stage, Pakistan required 67 off 12 deliveries, prompting Afridi to play a blinder. He remained unbeaten with 55 off just 12 balls, hitting eight sixes in total, along with his six sixes in an over.
Shahid Aziz provided invaluable support, scoring 23 off just five balls to help seal the win.
Chasing Kuwait’s total of 123, Pakistan reached the target off the final delivery to declare victory.
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