Pakistan secured a thrilling victory over the Netherlands in the opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo on February 7. They chased down a target of 148 runs, winning by three wickets with three balls remaining.
Pakistan’s captain, Salman Ali Agha, expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance. He praised Faheem Ashraf for his powerful 29 runs off just 11 balls, which played a crucial role in securing the victory.
“It was tough, but Faheem Ashraf did excellently. We prepared well and expected a strong challenge. We managed the situation effectively. 147 was a decent target for this pitch. Our spinners have performed well lately. We started strong, but after losing two wickets, we felt the pressure. We need to manage that better,” Agha stated in the post-match presentation.
“Getting started can be difficult; but once a batter gets set, they need to finish the innings. We didn’t accomplish that today. We need to improve,” he added.
Scott Edwards, the captain of the Netherlands, felt disappointed after the close match but commended his bowlers for their efforts. He noted that the team fell short by a few runs while setting their target, which could have changed the game’s outcome.
“We weren’t at our best, but credit to the team for their fight. Small moments can be costly. We lost wickets at key times. We believed that 160 would give us a good chance. We needed to bowl well to stay in the game. A couple of strong bowling performances helped us a lot. It was a good pitch, and Pakistan made it look easy until we created some pressure,” Edwards mentioned post-match.
Pakistan’s next match will be against the United States of America in Colombo on February 12. On the same day, the Netherlands will play Namibia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
