Follow UsAfter starting the Hong Kong Sixes 2025 strong on Friday, India endured a horror Saturday, losing to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait and Nepal in successive games, on November 8 (Saturday).
India won their opening contest against Pakistan by two runs (DLS method), and they were comfortable in the second clash against Kuwait as well, till two overs changed the contest. At 57/5, Kuwait were looking vulnerable before the Indian skipper Dinesh Karthik gave the ball to Priyank Panchal.
The Gujarat batter endured a rough outing with the ball, conceding 32 runs, with Yashin Patel hitting him for 6, 6, 6, 6, 6 & 2 in the over. Later in the same game, India’s batting collapsed, with Panchal himself scoring just 17 off 10 balls, as they lost the clash by 27 runs.
India didn’t fare too well against the UAE as well, despite scoring 107 in six overs. Batting first, India were reduced to 12/3, and required a stellar partnership between Abhimanyu Mithun (50 off 16) and Karthik (42 off 14) to take their tally to 107.
But the bowling was a let-off yet again in the tournament, as the UAE openers – Khalid Shah (50 off 14) and Saghir Khan (31 off 11) – completely stunned India with an 86-run stand for the opening wicket. Yet again, though, Panchal endured heartbreak as the bowler conceded 24 runs in an over, conceding three sixes and a four.
India were yet again on the losing note against Nepal, conceding 137 runs in six overs to Nepal. Bowling the third over, Panchal conceded 24 runs, continuing his terrible run in the tournament with the ball. With the bat, the star-studded Indian outfit could only score 45 runs, losing all six wickets within four overs.