Mong Kok [Hong Kong], Nov 2: The action shifted to Day 2 in the Hong Kong Sixes 2024 and it unveiled some more surprises. The proceedings began with the clash between Australia and Nepal followed by the match between India and UAE.
Nepal stunned Australia after the Asian side defeated them by 11 runs to finish at the top of the table. Batting first, Nepal scored 111/2 in 6 overs after captain Sundeep Jora notched up a fifty before retiring. In reply, Australia could only manage 100/5.
Jack Wood (55* off 16) was the top scorer for them. Pratish GC was the pick of the bowlers for Nepal after he returned with a three-wicket haul.
The second fixture on day two between India and UAE was a close encounter. The Men in Blue had already lost the first game to Pakistan on Day 1 and needed a win in this one to move into the quarter-finals. However, Robin Uthappa-led side conceded a one-run defeat in a thriller.
Chasing 131, India needed 32 in the final over and all-rounder Stuart Binny tried his best to take the team over the line. Binny struck a four on the first ball, the second one was a wide and then followed it with four maximums on the trot bringing the equation down to three needed off one. But eventually, he was run out on the final ball while trying for a second run. He scored 44 off 11.
Earlier, Robin Uthappa had also struck 43 off 10. UAE posted 130/5 in 6 overs, courtesy of Khalid Shah’s 42 off 10 and Zahoor Khan’s 37* off 11.
Next, it was New Zealand up against Oman in the Bowl Match 1. Oman put up 103/3 in 6 overs riding on Vinayak Shukla’s 53 off 14 before he retired. In reply, the Kiwis started off well as Raunaq Kapur scored a fifty before retiring but lost the plot in the middle and were restricted to 95/2 to lose the match by 8 runs.
India then locked horns with England in Bowl Match 2. Batting first, Ravi Bopara and Samit Patel took on the Indian bowlers. Bopara hit 6 sixes in one over against Robin Uthappa. He ended up giving away 37 runs in total in that over. Both the batters notched up individual half-centuries before retiring as England got to 120/1 in 6 overs.
Ravi Bopara then dominated India with his bowling as he scalped two wickets in one over which also included the dismissal of Robin Uthappa for a first-ball zero. India could only manage to score 105/3 and lost the game by 15 runs.
Australia were up against Hong Kong in the first quarter-final. Batting first, the Aussies posted 129/3 in 6 overs as Dan Christian struck 53 off 15 before retiring while Alex Ross scored 45* off 12.
Later, Hong Kong skipper Nizakat Khan and wicket-keeper batter Zeeshan Ali hit individual fifties before retiring but the Australian side eventually restricted the hosts to 116/0 to win the match by 13 runs and marched into the semi-final. (Agencies)
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