Kuwait’s winning run shows no signs of stopping! The team has been creating one surprise after another in the Hong Kong Sixes tournament and has now secured a place in the final.
On Sunday, at Mission Road in Hong Kong, Kuwait defeated England by 36 runs in the second semi-final. Batting first, Kuwait posted a competitive total of 142 runs for the loss of five wickets in their allotted six overs. In response, England could manage only 106 runs, falling well short of the target.
Kuwait had already earned their quarter-final ticket by defeating India in the group stage. They then stunned Afghanistan in the last-eight clash to reach the semi-finals, and in that stage, they produced another surprise by defeating England to secure a spot in the final.
In the final, Kuwait will face Pakistan, a team they had previously lost to in the group stage, giving them an opportunity for revenge and a chance to claim the championship.
Individual performances stood out in the semi-final: Mit Bhavsar scored a blistering 62 runs off just 15 balls, hitting six fours and six sixes. Adnan Idris contributed 30 runs from eight balls, while Rubiza Sanduran added 21 runs from eight deliveries. For England, Ethan Brooks took three wickets for just 29 runs.
During the chase, England struggled to establish momentum. Opener Toby Albert scored 32 runs off 12 balls, hitting three fours and three sixes, while James Coles, batting at number four, smashed 50 runs off 18 balls, including two fours and seven sixes. Bilal Tahir took two crucial wickets for 12 runs, but it wasn’t enough to turn the game.
Kuwait’s performance underlines their growing reputation as a team capable of producing shocks in the tournament, and all eyes will now be on the final clash against Pakistan to see if they can complete this remarkable run with the trophy.