Sports/Alive News: defeated India by four wickets in a Group C match of the Hong Kong International Sixes on Friday, chasing a target of 89 runs in just 3.5 overs. Abbas Afridi smashed 35 runs off eight balls, while Khwaja Nafay scored 41 off 12 deliveries to lead Pakistan to victory with 13 balls to spare.
Batting first, India scored 88 for five in six overs. Shashank Singh top-scored with an explosive 40 off 11 balls, hitting two fours and five sixes. He shared a 57-run partnership for the second wicket with Nitish Rana, who contributed 19 off 14 balls before being retired out.
India made a slow start, with Rahul Tripathi scoring nine off five deliveries. After Shashank’s dismissal, the innings lost momentum as Rahul Tewatia and captain Krunal Pandya were dismissed for ducks off successive deliveries by Abdul Samad. T Natarajan remained unbeaten on 12 off six balls.
Pakistan responded aggressively, with Nafay and Afridi adding 59 runs for the opening wicket in just 2.1 overs. Afridi was dismissed by Shashank after scoring 35 off eight balls, but the damage had already been done.
Nafay continued the assault, striking two fours and five sixes before being dismissed by Rahul Tewatia for 41 off 12 deliveries. Abdul Samad remained unbeaten on seven off three balls, while Irfan Khan scored an unbeaten six off one delivery to complete the chase.
India’s bowling struggled to contain Pakistan’s attacking batters. Krunal Pandya conceded 31 runs in one over, while Natarajan gave away 28 runs in another. Tewatia and Shashank claimed one wicket each.
The 22nd edition of the Hong Kong Sixes is being held from October 30 to November 1 at Mission Road Ground in Mong Kok, Hong Kong, with teams from 12 countries participating.
