Pakistan Crush Kuwait to Claim 6th Hong Kong Sixes Crown

Pakistan came into the Hong Kong Sixes 2025 final with momentum, power, and a batting order built for short-format chaos. They walked out with the trophy. A 43-run win over Kuwait at a packed Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground gave Pakistan their 6th title in the tournament’s history, capping a day built on clean hitting, quick wickets, and a group of young players who treated the format with the aggression it demands.

Kuwait won the toss and sent Pakistan in. It looked like a smart call for a moment, but only until the first over settled. Abdul Samad and Khawaja Nafay stepped in with intent. Every swing had purpose. Every ball forced Kuwait backward. The tempo never dipped, and the scoreboard sprinted faster than the fielders could keep up.

Nafay set the early tone. He carved 22 from 6 balls with clean strikes down the ground and flat hits over midwicket. Kuwait tried to pull the pace back with off-pace cutters, but nothing held. Meet Bhavsar finally removed Nafay with a sharp delivery that dipped late, but Pakistan had already built the launchpad.

Samad took control next. He moved deep in the crease and opened up every corner of the ground. Kuwait’s bowlers kept missing their length, and Samad punished every mistake. He smashed 5 sixes in his 42 off 13 balls and built pressure that Kuwait couldn't break. He made the straight boundaries look too small, and the packed crowd climbed with every clean hit.

After Samad walked off, Abbas Afridi walked in with the scoreboard at speed and the platform ready. What followed was the innings that broke the final open. Afridi struck the ball with rare clarity. He planted his front foot early and backed his bat swing every time. Kuwait’s quicks tried yorkers, slower balls, and wide lines, but nothing stopped the rhythm.

Afridi hammered 52 from just 11 balls. 7 of those balls sailed for six. 3 went deep over extra cover, while 2 flew straight. One cleared the square rope before the bowler even completed his follow-through.

Afridi retired hurt after the last of those blows, but the work was done. Pakistan had ripped the game away. Bhavsar, the only Kuwaiti bowler who found any form of success, collected 3 wickets and kept the innings from blowing out even further, but Pakistan still finished with 135 for 3 in six overs.

Kuwait started the chase like they understood the mountain and the time available to climb it. Adnan Idrees walked in with total freedom. He went after everything in his zone and took 32 in the first over. The Pakistan fielders barely moved in that phase. Each shot found a gap. The chase, for a moment, looked alive.

Idrees kept swinging with the same clarity in the 2nd over. He moved across the stumps and targeted the short leg-side boundary. He reached 30 off eight balls. But the moment he nicked one clean to Muhammad Shahzad, Pakistan’s bowlers tightened the screws.

Shahzad’s breakthrough ripped open Kuwait’s middle. They went after the bowlers, but without the balance Idrees brought. Maaz Sadaqat took charge of the middle overs. His left-arm spin gripped the surface and forced batters to hit across the line. Kuwait didn’t adjust. Sadaqat took 3 wickets in his spell and ripped through Kuwait’s hopes with clever angles and tight lines. Kuwait needed constant boundaries. They kept losing batters instead.

Meet Bhavsar held his end with calm strokes and soft hands. He finished unbeaten on 33 and resisted when everything around him collapsed. But his fight came too late and with too little support. Kuwait lost its shape after the 3rd wicket. The required rate climbed beyond reach, and Pakistan stayed sharp in the field.

Samad returned with the ball and iced the game, and Kuwait’s chase ended at 92 in 5.1 overs. The margin of victory, 43 runs, reflected Pakistan’s grip over the contest.

When the final wicket fell, Pakistan’s bench charged the field. They lifted the trophy for the 6th time, stretching their record in a format that rewards boldness, clarity, and clean hitting.

The Hong Kong Sixes often turns chaotic. This final did too, but Pakistan embraced that chaos better than any team in the tournament. They hit cleaner, bowled smarter, and stayed composed when Kuwait surged early.

Player of the match: Abbas Afridi

Player of the tournament: Abbas Afridi