Hong Kong Sixes 2024: Sri Lanka dominate Pakistan to clinch title

 Sri Lanka clinched the Hong Kong International Sixes title with a three-wicket win over Pakistan in the final played at Mong Kok ground in Kowloon, Hong Kong, yesterday.

Sri Lanka, in pursuit of 73 runs for victory, was guided by Sandun Weerakkody in the early stages of the innings, who made 34 in 13 balls that included a boundary and four sixes before Tharindu Ratnayake, who remained unbeaten on 16, steered the side with a towering six in the last ball of the penultimate over for Sri Lanka to race to the target with six balls to spare.

In the semi-final played against Bangladesh in the morning session, it was Sandun again who guided the side when he cracked an unbeaten half ton which was his second successive half ton following the same in the quarter-final encounter against Nepal.

Sandun’s 16-ball unbeaten half ton with seven boundaries and three sixes helped Sri Lanka pull off a thrilling three-wicket win with one ball to spare, while Pakistan too recorded a thrilling four-wicket win with one ball to spare against Australia in the other semi-final.

This was Sri Lanka’s second Hong Kong International Sixes title win, having won way back in 2007 when the side was led by all-rounder Indika de Saram.

Meanwhile, South Africa emerged Plate champions, defeating the United Arab Emirates in the final with a thrilling one-run win, while Oman bagged the Bowl trophy, overcoming England by four wickets.

Two Sri Lankans had the honour of being recipients of the two main individual awards that were offered, with Dhananjaya Lakshan the player of the final and Tharindu Ratnayake the player of the series.

Sri Lanka’s champion squad comprised Lahiru Madusanka (Captain), Sandun Weerakkody, Lahiru Samarakoon, Thanuka Dabare, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Tharindu Ratnayake, and Nimesh Vumukthi.

- MSA

Results
Semi-finals:

At Mong Kok – Sri Lanka won by three wickets 
Bangladesh 103/5 in 5.5 overs (Jishan Alan 36, Abu Hider 18, Abdullah Al Mamun 16, Mohammad Saifuddin 23 n.o.; Tharindu Ratnayake 4/33)
Sri Lanka 104/3 in 5.5 overs (Dhananjaya Lakshan 24, Sandun Weerakkody 50 n.o.; Jishan Alam 2/4)
At Mong Kok – Pakistan won by four wickets 
Australia 107/1 in 6 overs (Jack Wood 36, Dan Christian 42 n.o., Sam Heazlett 26 n.o.)
Pakistan 109/2 in 5.5 (Muhammad Akhlaq 32, Asif Ali 32, Aamer Yamin 24 n.o., Faheem Ashtaf 19 n.o.)

Final:
At Mong Kok - Sri Lanka won by three wickets 
Pakistan 72/6 in 5.2 overs (Muhammad Akhlaq 48; Dhananjaya Lakshan 2/6, Tharindu Ratnayake 2/25)
Sri Lanka 76/3 in 5 overs (Sandun Weerakkody 34, Lahiru Madusanka 19, Tharindu Ratnayake 16 n.o.)