India crash out of Hong Kong Sixes after losses to Kuwait, UAE and Nepal; Pakistan, Australia reach semis

India's Hong Kong Sixes campaign ended in disappointment with three consecutive defeats, failing to advance from the main competition. Despite strong performances from Abhimanyu Mithun and Dinesh Karthik, India lost to Kuwait, UAE, and Nepal, crashing out of the tournament.

Team India at Hong Kong Sixes

NEW DELHI: India’s campaign at the Hong Kong Sixes came to a disappointing end on Saturday as they suffered three consecutive defeats, crashing out of the main competition. While Pakistan and Australia marched confidently into the semifinals, India’s erratic form saw them drop into the ‘Bowl’ stage and eventually bow out after another loss.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! In a must-win Pool C encounter against Kuwait, India’s hopes unraveled with a 27-run defeat. Chasing 107 for victory, India were restricted to 79 for 6, undone by Kuwait’s Yasin Patel, who claimed three wickets for 23 runs. The result sealed India’s fate, leaving them third in the group behind Kuwait — who topped the table — and Pakistan, who finished second. Both sides advanced to the quarterfinals, while India’s campaign slid into the consolation bracket. Pakistan, meanwhile, kept their title hopes alive by overpowering South Africa by five wickets to seal a semifinal berth. In the ‘Bowl’ stage, India’s struggles persisted despite flashes of brilliance. Abhimanyu Mithun (50 off 16 balls) and Dinesh Karthik (42 off 14) produced blistering cameos to take India to 108, but UAE’s Khalid Shah stole the show with a match-winning 50 off just 14 balls, guiding his side to a four-wicket win. The misery deepened in India’s final outing, as Nepal thrashed them by 92 runs. Nepal’s openers launched a relentless assault, posting 137 without loss in six overs. Rashid Khan led the charge with 55 off 17 and then delivered a superb spell, taking three wickets as India stumbled to 45 for 6. Elsewhere, Australia powered into the semifinals with a commanding 54-run win over Bangladesh. Australia will face Pakistan in the first semifinal on November 9, while India will wrap up their campaign with a ‘Bowl’ fixture against Sri Lanka.

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