Hong Kong Sixes 2024: India to face Pakistan on November 1 - get full schedule

The Hong Kong Sixes 2024 will start on November 1 and conclude on November 3.

Organised by the Hong Kong Cricket Board, the Hong Kong Sixes 2024 will see as many as 12 teams compete in a total of 29 matches.

These participating teams have been divided into four pools of three teams each. 

Pool A has South Africa, New Zealand and Hong Kong, China while Australia, England and Nepal are placed in Pool B.

Arch-rivals India, Pakistan and UAE are clubbed in Pool C while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Oman are in Pool D.

Hong Kong Sixes 2024 teams and pools

Pool A: South Africa (A1), New Zealand (A2) Hong Kong, China (A3)

Pool B: Australia (B1), England (B2), Nepal (B3)

Pool C: India (C1), Pakistan (C2), UAE (C3)

Pool D: Sri Lanka (D1), Bangladesh (D2), Oman (D3)

Each team will play the other two sides in their group once in the pool stage. The top two teams in each group will qualify for the quarter-finals. 

The winners of quarter-finals will play for the Cup semi-finals while the losers will play for the plate semi-finals. The bottom-placed team in each group will play in the Bowl Competition. 

As per the Hong Kong Sixes 2024 schedule, the Indian cricket team will begin their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on November 1. The Men in Blue will later face UAE on November 2.

All Hong Kong Sixes 2024 matches will be played at the Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground in Kowloon, Hong Kong.

According to the Hong Kong Sixes rules, every team will feature six cricketers in their squad. A total of five overs will be bowled in every innings and no one will be allowed to bowl more than one over. Overs will have six balls each, except in the final where they constitute eight balls.

Additionally, wides and no-balls count for two runs. Interestingly, if a batter reaches 31 runs, the batter has to retire immediately and can only resume their innings if and only if the side is bowled out. 

If a team loses all five wickets, the unbeaten batter will be allowed to continue his innings. Hence, the opposition needs to pick up all six wickets to bowl them out. 

Since the inception of the Hong Kong Sixes in 1992, England and South Africa have been the most successful teams with five titles each while Pakistan have clinched it on four occasions.

The likes of India, Australia, Sri Lanka and West Indies have won the Hong Kong Sixes once each.

South Africa won the previous edition of the tournament after they defeated Pakistan by two wickets in October 2017.

A special exhibition match featuring women’s cricketers will also be staged to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China that will showcase the regional cricketing talent.

Hong Kong Sixes 2024 schedule and live match start times

All match times are in India Standard Time (IST)

Photo credit: Imago