Imran Mir’s 14-Ball Fifty Powers Afghanistan to Hong Kong Sixes 2026 Title

Key points

1. Australia scored 115 in its six-over innings in the Hong Kong International Sixes 2026 final at Mission Road Ground, Mong Kok, on November 1.
2. Max Bryant top-scored for Australia with 44 from 14 balls, including four fours and four sixes; Alex Ross added an unbeaten 29 from 10 balls.
3. Afghanistan chased the target in 5.1 overs, finishing on 119/2 to win the final by four wickets with five balls remaining.
4. Imran Mir led Afghanistan with an unbeaten 53 from 14 balls, hitting two fours and seven sixes, and was named Player of the Match.
5. Farmanullah Safi remained unbeaten on 26 from seven balls, while captain Gulbadin Naib scored 17 from six deliveries.
6. Afghanistan lost Karim Janat and Gulbadin Naib early at 32/2 before Imran Mir and Farmanullah Safi added an unbeaten 87-run stand from 21 balls.
7. The Afghanistan Cricket Board said the title was Afghanistan’s first Hong Kong Sixes championship, achieved in only the team’s second appearance at the event.

Afghanistan claimed the Hong Kong International Sixes 2026 championship after defeating Australia by four wickets in a high-scoring final at Mission Road Ground, Mong Kok, on Sunday, November 1. Chasing Australia’s 115-run total, Afghanistan raced to 119/2 in just 5.1 overs, with Imran Mir producing an unbeaten 53 from 14 balls to lead the title-winning effort.

The final was decided by a remarkable recovery after Afghanistan lost two early wickets. Captain Gulbadin Naib and Karim Janat departed with the score at 32, but Mir and Farmanullah Safi responded with an unbeaten 87-run partnership from only 21 deliveries. Their hitting turned a competitive target into a successful chase with five balls to spare.

Australia post 115 in six overs

Australia won the toss and elected to bat, looking to put a substantial total on the board in the six-over format. Max Bryant provided the main acceleration, scoring 44 from 14 balls with four fours and four sixes. His innings gave Australia early momentum and kept the scoring rate high.

Nick Hobson added 22 from seven deliveries, while Alex Ross remained unbeaten on 29 from 10 balls, striking three fours and two sixes. Chris Green also made a brief contribution with a six from his only delivery. Australia finished its six-over innings on 115, setting Afghanistan a target of 116 for the title.

For Afghanistan, Karim Janat and Nangeyalia Kharoti took a wicket apiece. Janat removed Hobson, while Kharoti dismissed Bryant. The bowling effort limited Australia's late surge enough to leave Afghanistan with a demanding but reachable target in the fast-paced contest.

Early wickets give Australia hope

Afghanistan began the chase aggressively, but Australia struck twice inside the first two overs. Karim Janat scored 13 from five balls before being dismissed by Patrick Dooley, and Naib made 17 from six deliveries before Chris Green removed the Afghanistan captain. At 32/2 after 1.4 overs, the match was still open.

Mir and Safi then changed the direction of the final. The pair attacked from the start of their partnership, finding the boundary repeatedly and keeping the required rate under control. Their unbeaten stand of 87 from 21 balls was the decisive passage of the match and took Afghanistan to the brink of victory.

Imran Mir’s 14-ball fifty seals the title

Mir was the central figure in the chase, finishing unbeaten on 53 from only 14 balls. He struck two fours and seven sixes, scoring at a strike rate of 378.57. His innings combined clean hitting with rapid scoring and ensured Afghanistan did not need to rely on a final-over scramble.

Safi offered equally important support, remaining unbeaten on 26 from seven balls with four sixes. The pair finished the job in 5.1 overs, taking Afghanistan to 119/2 and securing a four-wicket victory with five balls remaining. Mir was named Player of the Match for his match-winning innings.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board’s match report highlighted the contributions of Naib and Janat earlier in the chase as well as the decisive finishing partnership. The result capped an all-round team performance across the tournament, with different players stepping up in the group stage, semifinal and final.

Afghanistan complete a memorable tournament run

Afghanistan reached the final after winning both of their group-stage matches against South Africa and Oman to finish top of their group. They then defeated Scotland in the semifinal to book a place in the title match against Australia.

The championship was especially notable because it came in Afghanistan’s second appearance at the Hong Kong Sixes. The Afghanistan Cricket Board described the victory as the country’s first title in the competition, marking a significant achievement for the team in the short-format tournament.

Several players made important contributions during the campaign. Farmanullah Safi earned Player of the Match recognition for an unbeaten 38 from 14 balls against South Africa, while Sediqullah Pacha scored 45 not out from 10 balls in another group match. Naib’s unbeaten 51 from 16 balls in the semifinal against Scotland also helped Afghanistan reach the final.

A title built on explosive batting

The final showcased the defining demands of Hong Kong Sixes cricket: quick scoring, immediate response to wickets and the ability to change a match in a handful of deliveries. Australia had enough firepower to reach 115, but Afghanistan’s middle-order partnership proved even more productive under pressure.

Mir’s 53 not out will be remembered as the defining innings of the final, while Safi’s rapid support ensured the chase stayed ahead of the asking rate. Afghanistan’s four-wicket win crowned a successful tournament campaign and delivered the country its first Hong Kong Sixes title in only its second participation.