Sri Lanka won the Hong Kong Sixes in 2007 (File photo) 

The Hong Kong Cricket Sixes will begin today with Sri Lanka set to play Oman and Bangladesh in two preliminary round encounters. 

The former champions will take on Oman in their opening Group ‘D’ fixture before playing against Bangladesh in the last match of the opening day. 

Meanwhile, India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan in a blockbuster clash in their opener.

The highly anticipated Hong Kong Cricket Sixes is back after a seven-year hiatus, set to bring fresh excitement with its rapid six-a-side format. 

This year, 13 teams, including powerhouses like India, Pakistan, Australia and England will battle for glory at Hong Kong’s Tin Kwong Road Cricket Grounds. 

A hallmark of the Hong Kong Sixes format is its shortened, dynamic game structure. Each team gets just five overs to bat, featuring six players per side. 

The brevity of each inning amplifies the competition, challenging teams to score quickly while keeping the risk of losing wickets in check. This unique setup provides spectators with fast-paced entertainment and a constant change of momentum.

Restrictions on bowlers add another level of excitement to the games. Every bowler is limited to a single over per innings, demanding strategic thinking in selecting who can deliver under pressure.

Further differentiating the tournament, wide and no-ball penalties are harsher, with two runs awarded for each such infraction. Batters also face unique limitations. 

Any batter reaching 31 runs must retire ‘not out’ but can return if the rest of the team is dismissed. This encourages aggressive, high stakes batting while preserving the team’s line-up depth.

Finally, if five wickets fall, the last remaining batter continues to bat, aided by a non-striking partner for running between wickets. This extraordinary stipulation means that all six players must be dismissed to conclude an innings, giving the batting side a final shot at maximising runs.

Today’s schedule: South Africa v Hong Kong, England v Nepal, Pakistan v UAE, Sri Lanka v Oman, New Zealand v Hong Kong, Bangladesh v Oman, India v Pakistan, England v Australia, South Africa v New Zealand and Sri Lanka v Bangladesh.

(Agencies)