2005 Player of the Tournament Reetinder Singh Sodhi returns with the 2006 India team © CCIL.

Hong Kong, November 7: Six of last year’s triumphant Indian squad will return to the Kowloon Cricket Club (KCC) this weekend as Robin Singh’s team bid to defend their title at the Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes.

With inspired performances from the veteran skipper and all-rounder Reetinder Singh Sodhi, India upset the odds in 2005, defeating South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka en route to the Cup final in which they beat the West Indies.

It was India’s first success in the world’s richest and most prestigious Sixes event and sparked scenes of wild celebration among the Indian fans at the KCC.

And captain Singh, who contributed a typically pugnacious 34 with the bat in a Player-of-the-Final performance last year, will be hoping to motivate his team to another triumph in 2006.

He will be delighted to have alongside him the majority of the men who assisted him 12 months ago. Indeed, the only change to the seven-man squad is the inclusion of Rohan Gavaskar at the expense of Vivek Razdan.

Son of legendary Indian opening batsman Sunil Gavaskar, Rohan is a left-hand batsman and slow left arm bowler who appeared for India in Hong Kong three years ago and has played in 11 one-day internationals for his country.

In Hong Kong this weekend, he will team up with Sanjay Bangar, Nikhil Chopra, Sunil Joshi and Hrishikesh Kanitkar, all of whom have represented India at Test match level. Kanitkar had the distinction of striking the winning boundary in last year’s Sixes Cup final.

In this year’s Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes, India have been drawn in Pool 1 alongside Australia and West Indies, whom they will take on in a repeat of last year’s final.

One of just three countries to have been represented in all 12 editions of the Sixes, if India are to enjoy further glory this year, they will once more to be looking to the exceptional skills of Reetinder Sodhi.

A one-day international representative for his country, the 26-year-old enjoyed an outstanding weekend in Hong Kong last year, deservedly winning both the MVP prize and the Ben Hollioake Trophy for Player of the Tournament.

“It was great to be part of the winning team,” said Sodhi, who scored 128 runs in five matches and also took three crucial wickets.

Prior to their first Sixes victory at the 11th time of trying, India had twice been losing finalists in the Cup competition, beaten by Pakistan in 1992 and West Indies in 1996.

Until last year, the only silverware they had picked up was in the Plate competition in 1995 and 2001 and the Bowl competition in 1994.

Clive Howard, Chairman of the Hong Kong Cricket Association (HKCA), said: “Under the captaincy of Robin Singh, the Indian team gelled perfectly last year. For all of their supporters it was wonderful that they won the tournament.

“Given that all of their key players from last year are returning, I’m sure we can expect to see them again challenging for honours.”

In this year’s nine-nation event, Pool 2 consists of England, New Zealand Kiwis and South African Springboks, while Pool 3 is made up of Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Hong Kong.

Among the big-name players who are confirmed starters at the Kowloon Cricket Club this weekend are South African Nicky Boje, ex-England Test stars Darren Gough and Dominic Cork, West Indians Carlton Baugh and Marlon Samuels and Pakistanis Imran Nazir and Yasir Arafat.

India Squad: Sanjay Bangar; Nikhil Chopra; Rohan Gavaskar; Sunil Joshi; Hrishikesh Kanitkar; Robin Singh (captain); Reetinder Singh Sodhi.

Related Link:

• India Team Page

The 2006 Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Hong Kong International Cricket Sixes will take place at Kowloon Cricket Club, 10 Cox's Road, Kowloon on November 11-12. Special tickets are priced at HK$550 and include reserved seating, a lunch box for both days of the event and an Official Programme. Two-day passes cost HK$300 for adults and HK$150 for children aged 14 and under, went on sale from Monday, October 9 at the following outlets: Hong Kong Cricket Association (Tel: 2504-8102); Kowloon Cricket Club (10 Cox's Road, Jordan, 2367-4141); Hong Kong Cricket Club (137 Wong Nai Chung Gap Road, Happy Valley, 2574-6266); Dot Cod Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar (Prince's Building, Central 2810-6988); The Viceroy (Wanchai 2827-7777); Gaylord Restaurant (Tsim Sha Tsui 2376-1001) and Bayside Brasserie (Stanley 2899-0818) . For further inquiries please visit www.hksixes.com or call 2504-8103.

Provided by the Hong Kong Cricket Association. For further information, please contact Charles Lau or Novan Tang at (852) 2504-8101.