Six balls. That is how long it took to change the mood at Mission Road Ground. India vs Pakistan Hong Kong Sixes 2026 gave nobody time to settle. A bowler picked up a bat and treated one over like a grudge. The crowd in Mong Kok barely had time to react.
India vs Pakistan Hong Kong Sixes 2026: The Result
Pakistan beat India by four wickets in Group C on October 30. The match was played at Mission Road Ground in Mong Kok. India posted 88 for 5 in six overs. Pakistan chased it down in 3.5 overs with 13 balls to spare.
Pakistan Chose to Chase
Pakistan won the toss and chose to field. The Hong Kong Sixes is played six a side with six overs per innings. Every over has six balls. A target of 89 meant roughly 15 runs an over.
India’s Innings: Fast Start, Sudden Collapse
India started well. Rahul Tripathi hit 9 off 5 balls before falling in the second over. Nitish Rana added 19 off 14 balls.
Shashank Singh then took charge. He hit three sixes and a four off Irfan Khan in one over. That over cost Pakistan 24 runs. India were 74 for 1 after 4.3 overs.
Then the innings fell apart. Rana retired out. Rahul Tewatia and Krunal Pandya both fell for golden ducks to Abdul Samad. India lost three wickets without adding a run.
Shashank finished with 40 off 11 balls, including five sixes. Ahmed Daniyal bowled him. T Natarajan stayed unbeaten on 12 off 6 balls.
Abbas Afridi’s Over Changed Everything
Pakistan needed 89 from 36 balls. Khawaja Nafay took a single off the first ball. Then Abbas Afridi took over.
He hit five sixes in a row off Krunal Pandya. The over cost 31 runs. Pakistan were 31 without loss after one over.
Afridi finished with 35 off 8 balls. He struck at 437.50. Natarajan caught him off Shashank Singh at 59 for 1. By then India’s total already looked small.
Samad and Irfan Close It Out
Khawaja Nafay kept the tempo high. He scored 41 off 12 balls with two fours and five sixes. Rahul Tewatia dismissed him, caught by Natarajan, at 85 for 2.
Irfan Khan then finished the job. He heaved a length ball over deep square leg for six. Irfan was 6 not out off one ball. Abdul Samad was 7 not out.
Where India Fell Short With the Ball
India’s bowlers gave away 91 runs in 3.5 overs. Krunal Pandya went for 31 in his only over. T Natarajan, who recently moved to Sunrisers Hyderabad in a trade, conceded 28 in his over. He also bowled a wide and a no ball.
Shashank Singh and Rahul Tewatia took one wicket each. Both were expensive. Pakistan never needed more than four overs.
A Side Built From IPL Names
This is not the senior India team currently in New Zealand. Krunal Pandya captains the Sixes side. Natarajan, Tewatia, Rana, Tripathi, Shashank Singh and Kulwant Khejroliya complete the group.
This format rewards power hitters from franchise leagues. We explored that trend in our piece on the impact of franchise leagues on cricket.
Pakistan Are Defending Champions
Pakistan won the Hong Kong Sixes in 2025. It was their sixth title. They beat Kuwait by 43 runs in the final.
Abbas Afridi was player of the series that year. He hit 52 off 11 balls in the final. Abdul Samad added 42 off 13. Both men are back in 2026, and Afridi captains the side again. Our guide to the current Pakistan cricket team captaincy covers how that works.
India won this group fixture last year by two runs on DLS. This year Pakistan answered with a much clearer margin.
What Comes Next
The Hong Kong Sixes runs from October 30 to November 1. Group C also includes the UAE. India must now regroup quickly, and Pakistan can build on a confident start.
Conclusion
Pakistan beat India by four wickets with 13 balls to spare. Afridi’s five sixes in one over set the tone. Nafay and Irfan Khan finished the job. In the India vs Pakistan Hong Kong Sixes 2026 meeting, India’s 88 was never enough. The defending champions have opened their title defence with a statement.
