In a thrilling, rain-affected encounter at the Hong Kong Sixes 2025, India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by a margin of two runs, with the result determined by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method. The Pool C match, played at the Mong Kok Stadium, marked a winning start to the tournament for the Indian side.

After Pakistan’s captain won the toss and opted to bowl, India’s batsmen established a strong foundation. Openers Robin Uthappa and Bharat Chipli provided a blistering start, setting the tone for the six-over innings. Uthappa hammered 28 runs off just 11 balls, while Chipli contributed a rapid 24 runs from 13 deliveries. Captain Dinesh Karthik then helped propel the total, finishing unbeaten with 17 runs as India concluded their innings at 86 for 4.

Chasing a target of 87, Pakistan was on track, reaching 41 for 1 after three overs when the skies opened, forcing a halt to play. With the rain persisting, the match was called off, and the DLS calculation favored India, handing them a close two-run victory. A crucial spell before the rain interruption came from India’s Stuart Binny, whose disciplined second over yielded a wicket and conceded only seven runs, proving pivotal in tipping the DLS equation in India’s favor.

The victory gives Dinesh Karthik’s squad a positive launch to their campaign in the fast-paced, high-octane Hong Kong Sixes tournament, a celebrated mini-format of the game that was recently relaunched.