Sports

India Lose Third Straight Hong Kong Sixes Match to England

By Koushik Paul

India were beaten by England by three runs in the Bowl semi‑final at the Hong Kong Sixes 2026, ending a run of three consecutive defeats. The match, played on Saturday, saw Rahul Tripathi score an unbeaten 56 off 14 balls, but India could not hold the lead. England’s opener Martin Andersson made 51 off 13 balls, hitting three fours and six sixes, before retiring hurt. England finished their chase with 124/2, with Ed Barnard 35 not out and Luke Hollman 13. India’s reply began poorly, with opener Nitish Rana dismissed early. Shashank Singh and Tripathi then added 74 runs in 15 balls, but Singh was out for 29. Captain Krunal Pandya scored 28 off seven balls, and India needed 18 runs from the final over. Pandya hit a four and a six to reduce the requirement to five, but only managed one run on the last ball, leaving India three runs short. Earlier in the tournament, India lost to Pakistan in the opening match and to the United Arab Emirates in Group C, finishing last in the group. The UAE won their match against India, with Khalid Shah scoring 52 off 14 balls. India will play Bangladesh in the 11th‑12th place play‑off on Sunday at the Mission Road Ground, Mong Kok, starting at 7:10 AM IST on November 1.