Pakistan regained its long-lost dominance at the Hong Kong Sixes 2025, lifting the title after a gap of 14 years. While the victory itself was a proud moment, it was the post-match celebration that grabbed everyone’s attention online.
Led by Abbas Afridi, Pakistan secured its sixth Hong Kong Sixes title, marking a memorable comeback. However, what went viral wasn’t just the win - it was Mohammad Shahzad’s playful tribute to Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
Shahzad’s Viral Celebration
After the final, Shahzad shared a picture on X (formerly Twitter), striking a pose identical to Hardik Pandya’s famous shoulder-shrug celebration. Posing with the trophy, Shahzad captioned the photo, “Fun end to Hong Kong Sixes.”
Within hours, the post spread rapidly across social media, sparking fun reactions from both Pakistani and Indian fans.
View this post on Instagram
Despite the social media buzz surrounding their post-match celebrations, there’s no denying that Pakistan’s performance throughout the tournament was outstanding.
After suffering a defeat to India in the group stage, the team staged a stunning comeback to reclaim their dominance. In the knockout rounds, Pakistan overcame South Africa in the quarter-finals and Australia in the semi-finals, before comfortably defeating tournament debutants Kuwait by 43 runs in the final.
A Dominant Final Display Batting first, Pakistan posted a commanding total of 135 for 3 in just six overs. Skipper Abbas Afridi led from the front with a blistering 52 off 13 balls, while Abdul Samad contributed a quickfire 42 runs.
Kuwait began their chase aggressively, with Adnan Idris smashing five sixes in the opening over. However, once he was dismissed, the innings crumbled quickly, and the team was bowled out for 92 runs.
This victory marked Pakistan’s sixth Hong Kong Sixes title, ending a 14-year wait since their last win in 2011. The team had previously lifted the trophy in 1992, 1997, 2001, 2002, and 2011. With this triumph, Pakistan surpassed England and South Africa to become the most successful team in the tournament’s history.
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