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Shehbaz congratulates Pakistan after India win

Published : Saturday, 31 October, 2026 at 10:12 AM

Observer Online Report

Pakistan defeated arch-rivals India by four wickets in the Hong Kong Sixes 2026 tournament, but it was Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s congratulatory message that sparked widespread discussion on social media. NDTV reported on the reactions.

In the six-over match held on Friday (October 30), India scored 88 runs for five wickets. Pakistan chased down the target of 89 in just 3.5 overs, losing only one wicket.

Khawaja Nafay and captain Abbas Afridi played key roles in Pakistan’s victory. Nafay remained unbeaten on 41 off just 12 balls, while Afridi smashed 35 runs off eight deliveries. For India, Shashank Singh impressed with 40 runs off 11 balls.

Following the victory, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the team in a post on social media platform X.

“Congratulations to our boys on a brilliant four-wicket victory against India in the opening match of Hong Kong Sixes 2026. It was a great cricket match,” he wrote.

He also congratulated Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and his team, praising their efforts in preparing and supporting the players.

However, Hong Kong Sixes is not a major international tournament on the scale of the World Cup or Asia Cup. Sharif’s congratulatory message following the victory therefore drew criticism and mockery from some Indian social media users.

Several users brought up India's recent dominance in the Asia Cup and its overall record against Pakistan in major tournaments, highlighting Pakistan's defeat in the 2021 T20 World Cup as a notable exception in India's World Cup record against its arch-rivals.

-MT

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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury

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