Team India is due to name a strong IPL contingent for the 2026 Hong Kong Sixes, with seven experienced Indian cricketers named for the six-a-side tournament, which is set to take place from October 30 to November 1.
Fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar will lead the team, with Krunal Pandya, Shashank Singh, Rahul Tewatia, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi and T. Natarajan making up a squad brimming with experience of playing cricket in the IPL. The list of players was released by officials at the Hong Kong Sixes.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar to captain star-studded Indian squad
The mix of international and IPL experience plus a host of aggressive batters and specialist bowlers will see India become one of the talking points of the 2026 edition of the tournament.
The team India has assembled:
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Captain) – Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Krunal Pandya – Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Shashank Singh – Punjab Kings
Rahul Tewatia – Gujarat Titans
Nitish Rana – Delhi Capitals
Rahul Tripathi – Kolkata Knight Riders
T. Natarajan – Delhi Capitals
The 2026 edition will also witness the inaugural Hong Kong Sixes tournament with JSW Sports as its Commercial Partner, drawing on their expertise in cricket leagues and sporting franchises in India and across the globe. With just six players on a side, there is virtually no time for players to settle down in the Hong Kong Sixes.
It is all about attacking cricket as the games move at a blistering pace, with the batters expected to take the aggressive route right from the word go. That makes India's squad especially intriguing.
Bhuvneshwar brings with him years of international and IPL experience, as does Krunal, while Nitish Rana is the aggressive stroke-maker and top-order experience.
Shashank Singh and Rahul Tewatia have both proven themselves as a powerful finishing pair, having both stood out as dangerous middle-order options in the IPL.
Rahul Tripathi is another batter with a liking for the attacking approach, while Natarajan brings the specialist left-arm pace option.
Anuraag Bhatnagar, Director of Marketing and Commercial at Cricket Hong Kong, China, stated the Indian side could boost the profile and viewership of the tournament.
“We are very grateful to the Indian cricket authorities for their support in helping us assemble arguably one of the strongest sides that has ever represented India in the history of the Sixes,” said Bhatnagar. “It will undoubtedly prove to be a quantum leap forward in terms of viewership and further validation of this iconic tournament.”
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India to target stronger campaign in Hong Kong Sixes
India will travel back to the Hong Kong Sixes after a two-run DLS victory over Pakistan in the opening game of their 2025 campaign, but failed to build on that success and were eliminated after a series of losses in subsequent matches.
Challenging opposition lies ahead again this year as Pakistan, the defending champions, will be looking to win a record-breaking sixth Hong Kong Sixes title.
They saw off debutants Kuwait in last year's final to complete a hat-trick of consecutive Hong Kong Sixes triumphs. The 2026 tournament includes eight major cricketing nations and four Associate Members, with three days of action at the Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground.
Hong Kong Sixes is one of cricket's great short-form tournaments, with players having to adopt a more attacking role when only six players are permitted on a side.
The tournament offers established cricketers a different kind of challenge as opposed to T20 cricket. For the Indian contingent, the tournament will provide an opportunity for some IPL stars to utilize their skills in six-a-side cricket.
Tickets to the 2026 Hong Kong Sixes are available for all three days at HKD 780 and gives followers a chance to see international cricket, big hitting and entertainment throughout the event.
The Hong Kong Sixes will be played from October 30 to November 1, 2026, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar's India side set to bring a strong dose of IPL experience to Hong Kong.