NEW DELHI: India’s campaign in the Hong Kong Sixers came to a disappointing end on Saturday as they suffered three consecutive defeats to crash out of the main event. While Pakistan and Australia made it to the semi-finals with confidence, India’s erratic form saw them slip into the Bowl stage and eventually bow out after yet another defeat.Go beyond with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!In the must-win match against Kuwait in Group C, India’s hopes were dashed after a 27-run defeat. Chasing 107 to win, India were restricted to 79 for 6, undone by Kuwait’s Yasin Patel, who claimed three wickets for 23 runs. The result sealed India’s fate, leaving them third in the group behind table-toppers Kuwait and second-placed Pakistan. Both sides advanced to the quarter-finals, while India’s campaign slipped to the consolation bracket.Meanwhile, Pakistan kept their title hopes alive with a five-wicket win over South Africa to reach the semi-finals.At the Bowl stage, India’s struggles continued despite flashes of brilliance. Abhimanyu Mithun (50 off 16 balls) and Dinesh Karthik (42 off 14 balls) made brilliant cameos to take India to 108, but UAE’s Khalid Shah stole the show with a blistering 50 off just 14 balls to guide his team to a four-wicket win.The misfortune worsened in India’s last outing when Nepal beat them by 92 runs. Nepal’s openers launched a relentless onslaught, scoring 137 balls without loss in six overs. Rashid Khan led the charge with 55 off 17 and then produced a superb spell, taking three wickets as India slumped to 45 for 6.Elsewhere, Australia reached the semi-finals with a convincing 54-run win over Bangladesh. Australia will face Pakistan in the first semi-final on November 9, while India will conclude their campaign with a bowl match against Sri Lanka.
