Khalid Shah's 52 off 14 carries UAE past India into the Hong Kong Sixes Cup semi-finals

Khalid Shah's unbeaten 52 from 14 balls carried the United Arab Emirates past India at Mission Road Ground and into the Cup semi-finals of the Hong Kong International Sixes

India needed to win to stay in the Cup bracket. They made 94 for 6 after being put in, and the UAE knocked the runs off without losing a wicket, reaching 97 without loss in 4.2 overs for a six-wicket win with 10 balls remaining.

The result leaves the UAE top of Group C with two wins from two, having beaten Pakistan the day before. They play Australia in the first semi-final later on Saturday.

India finish bottom of the group with nothing from two matches, and drop into the Bowl bracket, where the tournament draw sends them in against England.

A total that never looked enough

The UAE won the toss and opted to bowl, and India were kept to a rate that the six-over format rarely forgives.

Rahul Tripathi gave them the start they wanted, striking three consecutive sixes in the third over on the way to 24 from seven balls with a four and three sixes, before Zahid Ali removed him. It was a sharp improvement on the 9 from five balls he managed in India's opening match.

The innings was held together at the other end by T Natarajan, whose 38 from 14 balls was the highest score of the match for India. Nobody else got going.

Zahid Ali finished as the pick of the UAE attack with three wickets, and India lost their sixth and final wicket from the last ball of the innings, closing on 94.

Khalid Shah does it again

Khalid Shah had already decided one match in this group. Chasing 107 against Pakistan a day earlier, he made 71 from 20 balls as the UAE got home with a wicket standing off the final delivery.

Against India he needed even less time. His 52 not out came from 14 balls and contained three fours and six sixes, and the chase was effectively settled inside the first three overs.

Two matches, two chases, two match-winning innings from the same batter — the UAE's campaign has been built on them.

Ansh Tandon keeps the rate up

There was no let-up at the other end. Ansh Tandon finished 39 not out from 12 balls with two fours and five sixes, and the pair were never separated.

The 95 needed arrived in 4.2 overs, the UAE's openers taking the target down without India's bowlers finding a single breakthrough.

India's campaign unravels

India came to Mong Kok with a squad entirely changed from the one that played the last edition, captained by Krunal Pandya and including Natarajan, Tripathi, Nitish Rana, Shashank Singh, Rahul Tewatia and Kulwant Khejroliya.

They lost their opener to Pakistan on Friday, which left this match as a straight shootout for a place in the Cup draw. Losing it, and losing it without taking a UAE wicket, ends their interest in the main trophy after two days.

What remains is the Bowl bracket, which decides the placings from ninth to twelfth.

What comes next in Mong Kok

The Cup semi-finals pair Australia with the UAE, and Afghanistan with Scotland, who beat Sri Lanka by 26 runs earlier in the day.

In the first of the Bowl semi-finals, South Africa chased down Bangladesh's 129 for 4, reaching 132 for 5 off the last ball available to them to win by a wicket.

The tournament's 22nd edition finishes on Sunday.

Scorecard: India 94 for 6 in 6 overs (T Natarajan 38, Rahul Tripathi 24; Zahid Ali 3 wickets) lost to United Arab Emirates 97 without loss in 4.2 overs (Khalid Shah 52*, Ansh Tandon 39*) by six wickets

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