India to send top IPL stars for this month’s HK Cricket Sixes

By the Editorial Team · Tuesday, October 6, 2026

India will compete in the upcoming Hong Kong Cricket Sixes with a strengthened squad primarily made up of players from the 2026 IPL, including seasoned internationals like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Krunal Pandya. This move aims to improve India’s past poor performances in the tournament and elevate its global profile through stronger partnerships and expanded international competition.

India will field a squad largely composed of players who featured in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) for this month’s Hong Kong Cricket Sixes tournament, signaling a significant strengthening of their lineup. The tournament is scheduled to take place from October 30 to November 1 at the Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground in Hong Kong.

Leading the Indian side will be Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a seasoned swing bowler with 229 international caps. Kumar will be joined by Krunal Pandya, his Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) teammate and fellow IPL champion, as well as former India all-format bowler Thangarasu Natarajan. This marks a departure from previous years, as the squad includes seven players who all saw game time during the latest IPL season. The exception is Rahul Tripathi, the top-order batsman from Kolkata Knight Riders, who did not make it to the crease in the most recent IPL campaign.

India has historically had mixed results in the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes. Since the tournament’s revival in 2024, the Indian team has struggled, failing to advance past the group stage in both editions and losing nine of their ten matches. Their only title win dates back to 2005. Organizers and officials are hopeful that the infusion of top-tier talent from the IPL will reverse this trend and boost the tournament’s profile.

Anurag Bhatnagar, director of marketing and commercial for Cricket Hong Kong, China (CHKC), expressed optimism about the Indian squad’s strength. He described the assembled team as “arguably one of the strongest sides that has represented India in the history of the Sixes,” suggesting this could represent a “quantum leap forward” for the tournament’s visibility and credibility.

This year’s Indian contingent also includes players affiliated with the Delhi Capitals IPL franchise, reflecting a recent partnership between CHKC and Indian company JSW Sports, co-owners of the Delhi Capitals. Natarajan and middle-order batsman Nitish Rana are among those from the Delhi franchise on the Sixes roster. The collaboration is part of a broader strategy to expand the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes internationally, with plans to introduce additional annual competitions aimed at eventually developing a global series comprising five or six events.

The 2026 Hong Kong Cricket Sixes will feature 12 teams, with defending champions Pakistan expected to make a strong bid for retention of their title. The tournament’s reinvigoration through partnerships and the participation of high-profile players highlights growing ambitions for the competition’s stature in the cricketing calendar.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.