The Hong Kong Sixes 2026 is set to take place from October 30 to November 1, featuring 12 teams competing in six-a-side cricket matches at the Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground in Hong Kong. This unique tournament format emphasizes fast-paced play, where each team consists of six players and batters have just six overs to score.
Among the participants are India, captained by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and the defending champions, Pakistan. The tournament will follow a structure that includes group stages and knockout rounds, comprising the Cup, Plate, and Bowl competitions.
Team Composition and Tournament Structure
In the Hong Kong Sixes, each team fields six players, a departure from traditional cricket’s 11-player format. While teams can have additional squad members, only six players participate in each match. This format places additional responsibility on all-rounders to balance batting, bowling, and fielding duties effectively.
Each match consists of 12 overs total, with each team allowed six overs per inning. Bowlers typically bowl one over each, but one player may bowl two overs, not consecutively. The wicketkeeper does not bowl. With only six overs available, teams must adopt an aggressive batting strategy.
The tournament is organized into four groups of three teams each:
| Group | Teams |
| Group A | Australia, England, Hong Kong, China |
| Group B | Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Scotland |
| Group C | India, Pakistan, UAE |
| Group D | South Africa, Afghanistan, Oman |
The defending champions, Pakistan, won the previous tournament in 2025 and aim for their seventh title.
Knockout rounds will commence on October 31, culminating in finals and classification matches, which will determine rankings from first to twelfth place. In total, the tournament will feature 25 matches over three days, including a women’s exhibition match.
Modified Rules for Hong Kong Sixes
Key rules for the tournament include:
- Six players per team in the field.
- Six overs per innings, with six legal balls per over.
- All players, except the wicketkeeper, bowl one over, with one player allowed to bowl two.
- Wides and no-balls score one run and result in an extra delivery; there is no free hit for no-balls.
- Batters can retire not out after scoring 50 runs and can return if a teammate is out.
- If five wickets fall before six overs, the last batter continues with the previous batter as a runner.
- The innings ends when the sixth wicket falls or under specific dismissal circumstances involving the last batter.
