India Names Hong Kong Cricket Sixes Team

Dinesh Karthik will hope to follow in the footsteps of Robin Singh and lead India to a second Cup title at the Karp Group Hong Kong Sixes at the Kowloon Cricket Club on Sunday.

Former Hong Kong coach Singh was at the helm of the only Indian side to win the title, when he played a match-winning role to lead the crowd favourites to a four-wicket triumph over the West Indies in the 2005 Cup final.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Karthik will hope to emulate that feat with a new-look India team that will be banking on a mix of youth and experience to pull off what would undoubtedly be a popular win with the hordes of Indian fans.

Karthik will be at the helm of a side that includes Ranji Trophy players Shalabh Srivastava, Sridhran Sriram, Vignesh Ganapathy, Mayank Agarwal, Manvidner Basla and Rajoo Bhaktal.

Much will depend on Karthik, who has played 23 tests and 45 one-day internationals for India, and the feisty batsman could take a leaf out of Singh’s book. In 2005, Singh led from the front, scoring an invaluable unbeaten 34 in the final as well as excelling in the field with some tidy wicket-keeping.

Prior to 2005, India had twice been losing finalists in the Cup competition (1992 and 1996), and the Chennai-born Karthik will be hoping his side can go all the way this time.

All eyes will be on Agarwal, 20, an explosive right-hand opening batsman from Bangalore who has modelled his style of play on Virender Sehwag. Agarwal toured Australia in 2009 with the U-19 side and hit a match-winning 160 in a one-dayer.

Another player to watch out for is opening batsman Bisla, who has been an IPL regular since 2009. Bisla, who now plays for the Kolkota Knight Riders, has also represented India at the Under-19 level.

India has been drawn with rivals Pakistan, South Africa and hosts Hong Kong in the preliminary round.

India: Shalabh Srivastava, Sridharan Sriram, Dinesh Karthik, Vignesh Ganapathy, Rajoo Bhaktal, Manvinder Bisla, Mayank Agarwal

Pool A: All Stars, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Scotland.
Pool B: Australia, England, Bangladesh and Ireland.
Pool C: Pakistan, South Africa, India and Hong Kong.

Karp Group Hong Kong Cricket Sixes - Interview with Glyn Davies, Tournament Director

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