Khalid Shah leads UAE’s charge into the Hong Kong Sixes semifinals.
Dubai: The UAE maintained their strong form at the Hong Kong Sixes 2026 with a six-wicket victory over India on Saturday, completing a clean sweep of their Group C matches after overcoming Pakistan in their opening fixture. The back-to-back wins earned the UAE a place in the Cup semi-finals, where they will take on Australia.
Asked to bat first, India scored 94-6 in their allotted six overs. Rahul Tripathi led the scoring with 24 off just seven deliveries, while T Natarajan smashed 38 from 14 balls, including four sixes. Captain Krunal Pandya contributed 15 off eight deliveries.
Zahid Ali was the pick of the UAE bowlers, taking three wickets, while Muhammad Farooq and Mohammed Faraazuddin picked up one apiece.
The UAE made the chase look effortless, thanks to an unbeaten opening stand between captain Khalid Shah and Ansh Tandon. Shah hammered 52 off 14 balls, while Tandon scored an equally impressive 39 from 12 deliveries, guiding the team to victory without losing a wicket.
The UAE had begun their campaign with a thrilling one-wicket triumph over Pakistan. Khalid Shah once again played a decisive role, blasting 71 off 20 balls as the UAE chased down Pakistan’s total of 107 in six overs. Pakistan captain Abbas Afridi had earlier made 53 off 13 deliveries.
The 12-team tournament features four groups of three teams each. Group winners qualify for the Cup semi-finals, while the runners-up progress to the Plate semi-finals and the third-placed sides compete in the Bowl semi-finals.
The Cup semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday, with the two winners advancing to Sunday’s final.
Australia, who finished top of Group A, will be the UAE’s next opponents as they look to secure a place in the tournament’s title match.
