The Pakistan Cricket team kicked off their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a three-wicket win over the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. The match was close, showing that either team could have taken the victory.
The Netherlands batted first and started strong but could not finish their innings well. They lost momentum towards the end, finishing with 15 to 20 runs fewer than needed for a competitive total. Pakistan’s bowlers tightened their grip in the final overs, preventing the Dutch from capitalizing on their opportunities.
Pakistan began their chase effectively. Sahibzada Farhan scored 47 runs off 31 balls and Saim Ayub provided quick runs early on. However, the pace of the chase shifted when Babar Azam came to bat.
Middle-Order Slowdown Brings Netherlands Back Into Game
The run rate fell as Babar Azam batted, putting pressure on the other batters and leading to regular wickets. Salman Agha, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, and Usman Khan all struggled, leaving Pakistan in a challenging position.
The Netherlands seemed close to pulling off a significant upset. Pakistan needed 29 runs from the last 12 balls with just three wickets left. The Dutch bowlers kept a tight grip on the game, and their fielders remained sharp, sensing a chance for a World Cup win.
A turning point came in the 19th over when Faheem Ashraf countered Logan van Beek’s bowling with a strong response. Max O’Dowd dropped a crucial catch during this over, giving Faheem a second chance that proved costly for the Netherlands.
Faheem seized the opportunity, hitting boundaries that shifted the game back in Pakistan’s favor. He scored an unbeaten 29 runs off 11 balls, which eased pressure on the lower order.
Pakistan triumphed after 19.3 overs, scoring 148 runs for 7 wickets. This win earned them two important match points but also highlighted several issues, particularly the slowdown in the middle overs.
The Netherlands faced a tough loss that will have consequences for them. They showed resilience and discipline, but failed to capitalize at crucial moments. Better performance in the final overs could have led to a surprising victory.
