Newscow
India have named a seven-player squad for the Hong Kong Sixes 2026, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar as captain. The tournament runs from October 30 to November 1 at Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground in Hong Kong. India are in Pool C with Pakistan and the UAE.
This is a Hong Kong Sixes selection, not a recall to India's senior international team. The Sixes uses its own six-a-side format and tournament structure.
India squad for Hong Kong Sixes 2026
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar (captain)
- Krunal Pandya
- Shashank Singh
- Rahul Tewatia
- Nitish Rana
- Rahul Tripathi
- T. Natarajan
The squad was announced through the Hong Kong Sixes organisers and reported by PTI/ANI and major Indian sports outlets. Bhuvneshwar and Krunal bring extensive IPL experience, Natarajan adds specialist left-arm pace, and Shashank and Tewatia provide boundary-hitting power suited to a six-over game.
Hong Kong Sixes 2026 groups
- Pool A: Australia, England, Hong Kong China
- Pool B: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Scotland
- Pool C: India, Pakistan, UAE
- Pool D: South Africa, Afghanistan, Oman
The draw creates an India-Pakistan pool-stage meeting. The complete match-by-match fixture list was not available in the sources checked, so Newscow is not guessing a match time. The confirmed information is the October 30-November 1 window and India's Pool C opponents.
How the format works
This is not a normal T20. Each side fields six players and an innings is compressed to six overs. Current 2026 explainers say one designated bowler, other than the wicketkeeper, can bowl two overs while the remaining overs are shared among other players. The format rewards immediate attacking batting, accurate bowling and multi-skill players.
Pool winners move to the Cup semi-finals, second-placed teams go to the Plate semi-finals and third-placed teams enter the Bowl competition, according to current tournament explainers.
Why Bhuvneshwar's captaincy matters
Bhuvneshwar last played a senior international for India in 2022, so his name naturally creates comeback headlines. The accurate description is that he will captain the Indian side at this specific tournament; it is not evidence of a recall to India's ODI, T20I or Test squad.
India Today reports that he took 28 wickets in 16 IPL 2026 matches and followed that with 14 wickets in 11 UP T20 League games. In six-over cricket, a new-ball wicket or a tight over can influence a large share of an innings.
India's recent record
India won the Hong Kong Sixes in 2005. In 2025, India opened with a narrow DLS win over Pakistan but exited after later defeats. Pakistan won the tournament and enter 2026 as defending champions.
Dates, venue and tickets
- Dates: October 30-November 1, 2026
- Venue: Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground, Hong Kong
- India's opponents: Pakistan and UAE
- Three-day ticket: HKD 780, according to the organisers' release carried by ANI/PTI reports
Broadcast and streaming details were not confirmed in the sources checked at publication. Exact India match times were also still pending. Those details should be added to this same page when officially released rather than creating a near-duplicate URL.
Image note: Hero is a public-domain 1876 archival illustration titled “Cricket at Hong Kong” from Wikimedia Commons/Hong Kong Baptist University Library. It is historical context, not a photograph of the 2026 tournament.