India edged past Pakistan by two runs in a rain-affected match at the Hong Kong Sixes 2025, held at the Mission Road Ground in Mong Kok on Friday.
Chasing a target of 87, Pakistan began strongly as opener Khawaja Nafay hit Abhimanyu Mithun’s delivery for a boundary after a couple of singles.
Nafay then cleared the ropes twice in the first over, scoring 18 runs and putting early pressure on India.
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Stuart Binny bowled the second over, where Maaz Sadaqat hit a six but was soon dismissed for seven off three balls.
Nafay was joined by Abdul Samad, who managed a single, but Nafay struggled in the following deliveries, leaving Pakistan at 25-1 after two overs.
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Shahbaz Nadeem conceded 16 runs in the third over as Samad struck two fours and a six.
Pakistan reached 41-1 after three overs, needing 46 runs from 18 balls, but rain interrupted the chase.
Using the DLS method, India were declared winners, having maintained a higher scoring rate at that point.
Earlier, India had set a challenging total, starting aggressively with Robin Uthappa hitting a six and a four in Shahid Aziz’s first over.
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Pakistan captain Abbas Afridi bowled the second over but conceded 21 runs as Bharat Chipli and Uthappa continued the strong start, taking India to 34 without loss in two overs.
Mohammad Shahzad came on in the third over and immediately put pressure on Uthappa, who was dismissed for 28 off 11 balls, which included two fours and three sixes.
Binny was also removed by Shahzad after scoring a boundary.
India were 46-2 at 2.5 overs when skipper Dinesh Karthik hit a four, guiding India to 50 runs by the end of the third over.
Maaz Sadaqat bowled a disciplined fourth over, conceding just seven runs as India reached 58-2.
Abdul Samad was taken apart by Chipli in the penultimate over, who struck two fours and a six before falling for 24 off 13 balls.
India finished that over at 74-3.
In the final over, Maaz returned to bowl, giving away a boundary and a single, while Karthik hit a six off the third ball.
Mithun failed to connect with the next two balls and was run out on the last delivery, leaving India at 86-4 at the end of their innings.
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Despite Pakistan’s strong start, the rain interruption proved decisive, handing India a narrow victory in this thrilling contest.
Earlier, Pakistan defeated Kuwait by five wickets, successfully chasing a target of 124.
Skipper Abbas Afridi’s match-winning fifty guided Pakistan to victory in their opening match of the Hong Kong Sixes at the Mission Road Ground, Mong Kok, on Friday.
Pakistan will now face South Africa in the second quarter-final tomorrow, Saturday, November 8, at the same venue.
