Pakistan beat India by four wickets at the Hong Kong Sixes 2026 on Friday, chasing a target of 89 in only 3.5 overs at Mission Road Ground in Mong Kok. Captain Abbas Afridi smashed five consecutive sixes in the first over of the chase and finished with 35 off 8 balls, while Khawaja Nafay stayed unbeaten on 41 off 12 as the defending champions kept their title defence alive.
Hong Kong Sixes 2026: the match in numbers
- India: 88 for 5 in 6 overs (Shashank Singh 40 off 11)
- Pakistan: 91 for 2 in 3.5 overs (Khawaja Nafay 41 not out off 12, Abbas Afridi 35 off 8)
- Result: Pakistan won by four wickets
- Player of the match: Abbas Afridi
- Venue: Mission Road Ground, Mong Kok, Hong Kong
India batted first in the Group C match and managed 88 for 5 from their six overs, a total built almost single-handedly by Shashank Singh, whose 40 off 11 balls included five sixes. It looked competitive for the format, where six-a-side teams bat for six overs each and every wicket costs momentum as well as runs. It took Pakistan less than four overs to make it look small.
Photo: Exploringlife via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The over that ended the contest
India captain Krunal Pandya took the first over of the chase himself, and Afridi dismantled it. The Pakistan captain hit five sixes in a row, and with a single added by Nafay the over cost 31 runs. The assault continued in the second over, bowled by T. Natarajan, as Nafay struck two sixes and two fours and Afridi added a four and a six of his own. Pakistan were 59 without loss after two overs, and the match was effectively decided inside twelve balls.
Shashank Singh finally removed Afridi for 35 off 8 balls in the third over, and Nafay fell with the finish in sight, but Abdul Samad and Irfan Khan closed the chase out with 13 balls to spare. Afridi, who had also kept India in check with the ball, was named player of the match.
A campaign rescued on the same day
The win mattered beyond the rivalry. Pakistan are the defending champions at the Hong Kong Sixes 2026, but they had lost their opening match of the day to the United Arab Emirates by a single wicket and stood close to elimination when they walked out against India. The victory moved them to the top of Group C, ahead of the UAE and India, with the tournament’s knockout rounds following over the weekend. India, who also lost ground with the day’s lowest total, were left needing a heavy win in their last group match to stay alive.
The Hong Kong Sixes is one of cricket’s most distinctive events: twelve teams, six players a side, six overs a side, with batsmen retiring on reaching 50 and every player except the wicketkeeper required to bowl. It rewards exactly the kind of fearless hitting Afridi and Nafay produced, and its short format has made it a favourite comeback stage for the event, which runs from 30 October to 1 November this year.
Pakistan’s history at the Sixes
Pakistan have long been one of the tournament’s strongest sides, and they arrived in Hong Kong as holders after winning the previous edition. The format has always suited Pakistani cricket: a production line of clean hitters, spinners who can bowl a tight over on a tiny ground, and fielders used to high-pressure exhibition cricket. Afridi’s role in this squad reflects that balance. Known to Pakistan fans as a T20 international fast bowler, here he captains, opens the batting and bowls, the complete sixes player, and his player of the match award came from contributing in all three parts of the game.
A squad built around power hitters and all-rounders suits the format, and Friday’s chase, the target hunted down in 23 balls, was a reminder of how dangerous they are when their openers fire together. The group stage concludes on Saturday, with the semi-finals and final at Mission Road Ground on Sunday 1 November, giving Pakistan a path to back-to-back titles if they can carry Friday’s momentum through the weekend. You can follow the rest of the tournament, and all of Pakistan’s cricket, on our Pakistan Sports Good News page. Saturday brought more home success, as Pakistan’s senior side lifted the ODI tri-series trophy in Lahore, beating Sri Lanka in the final after Fakhar Zaman’s century.
Sources
- Pakistan beat India by 4 wickets at Hong Kong Sixes 2026, CricTracker
- Pakistan Dominate India in a High-Voltage Hong Kong Sixes Showdown, PR Newswire (organisers’ report)
- Pakistan bounce back with win over India in Hong Kong Sixes 2026, Geo Super
- Photo: Geo Super
Umar is an engineer by profession and a passionate writer by passion. He has a deep interest in sharing good news related to Pakistan and has been working hard to promote the positive image of his homeland. Umar has written numerous articles on various topics related to Pakistan, such as technology, sports, culture, and economy.