In a thrilling curtain-raiser to the 2026 T20 World Cup, Pakistan edged past the Netherlands by three wickets in Colombo on February 7, 2026, avoiding a potential upset in their Group A opener.
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The 2009 champions chased 148 with nerves frayed until Faheem Ashraf’s late fireworks secured the result, underscoring the importance of wins against associate nations amid their boycott of the India clash.
Netherlands Post Competitive Total Opting to bowl first, Pakistan restricted the Netherlands to 147 all out with one ball remaining. The Dutch started brightly, reaching 50-2 in the powerplay with Michael Levitt (24) aggressive.
Middle-order contributions from Bas de Leede (30) and captain Scott Edwards (37) built momentum, but Pakistan’s death bowling—led by Salman Mirza (3-24)—triggered a collapse, with six wickets falling for 20 runs in the final phase. Fielding brilliance, including a stunning boundary catch by Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi, kept the total modest.
Dramatic Chase Ends in Relief Pakistan’s reply began promisingly with Saim Ayub (24) and Sahibzada Farhan (47 off 31) reaching 98-2. However, a middle-order meltdown saw them slip to 114-7, needing 34 off the last few overs. Aryan Dutt and others squeezed the run rate, raising upset hopes.
Faheem Ashraf’s unbeaten 29 off 11—including a six and boundary to finish—turned the tide after O’Dowd’s costly drop. Pakistan reached 148-7 in 19.3 overs.
The result provides vital momentum for Pakistan, while the Netherlands earn praise for pushing a former champion to the brink.