Hong Kong Sixes: UAE Stun India by Six Wickets as Khalid Shah Smashes 52 Off 14 Balls
Chasing 95 in a six-over contest at Mong Kok, the UAE openers finished the job in just 4.2 overs without losing a wicket. T Natarajan top-scored for India with 38.
The United Arab Emirates pulled off one of the more eye-catching results of the Hong Kong Sixes on Saturday morning, beating Krunal Pandya’s India by six wickets in their Pool C match at Mission Road Ground in Mong Kok.
“India vs UAE” was the most-searched term in India on Google Trends on Saturday, with more than two million searches as fans followed the fast-paced six-a-side game.
India’s innings
Sent in after the UAE won the toss and chose to bowl, India finished on 94 for 6 from their six overs. Fast bowler T Natarajan was the surprise package with the bat, hitting 38 from just 14 deliveries, while Rahul Tripathi added a quick 24 off seven balls. Left-arm spinner Zahid Ali did the most damage for the UAE, picking up 3 for 32 in his two overs, and was named Player of the Match.
A one-sided chase
The target never looked enough. Khalid Shah tore into the Indian attack with 52 from 14 balls, and Ansh Tandon struck 39 from 12 as the UAE reached 97 without loss in only 4.2 overs. Natarajan, so effective with the bat, went for 43 in his two overs, and Shashank Singh conceded 17 in his single over.
India’s squad and what’s next
India’s seven-member squad for the tournament is led by Krunal Pandya and includes Shashank Singh, Rahul Tewatia, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, T Natarajan and Kulwant Khejroliya, who came in for Bhuvneshwar Kumar after the pacer was called up for the T20I series in New Zealand. India opened their campaign against Pakistan on Friday.
Under the tournament format, only pool winners go through to the Cup semi-finals, while the second- and third-placed sides drop into the Plate and Bowl competitions. The 2026 edition features eight leading cricket nations and four Associate Members.
Featured image: A cricket ball resting against a wicket. Photo: Acabashi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source).
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