Colombo, February 7: Pakistan kicked off its T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a thrilling 3-wicket victory over the Netherlands. The match took place at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Saturday.
After losing the toss, the Netherlands opted to bat first but struggled, collapsing to just 147 runs in 19.5 overs. The opening pair provided a brisk start, with Michael Levitt and Max O’Dowd putting together a 28-run partnership in just 3.1 overs.
O’Dowd was dismissed for 5 runs off 7 balls, while Levitt scored 24 runs from 15 balls, including 1 six and 3 fours. The Netherlands lost both openers by the time they reached a score of 31.
Baas de Leede then attempted to stabilize the innings, forming a 34-run partnership with Colin Ackermann for the third wicket in 22 balls. Ackermann was out for 20 runs, but de Leede continued, adding 40 runs with captain Scott Edwards for the fourth wicket, pushing the team past the 100-run mark.
Edwards top-scored for his team with 37 runs off 29 balls, featuring 4 boundaries, while de Leede contributed 30 runs before returning to the pavilion. Salman Mirza was the standout bowler for Pakistan, claiming 3 wickets, while Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, and Saeem Ayub each took 2 wickets. Shaheen Afridi also chipped in with 1 wicket.
In response, Pakistan chased down the target in 19.3 overs. They faced an early setback, losing Saeem Ayub for 24 runs off 13 balls at a score of 27. Shortly after, they lost captain Salman Agha for 12 runs, leaving them at 53 runs with 2 wickets down.
Sahibzada Farhan then partnered with Babar Azam, adding 45 runs for the third wicket in 38 balls, bringing the score to 98. Farhan scored 47 runs off 31 balls, hitting 2 sixes and 4 fours, but the team soon faced a collapse, losing their seventh wicket at 114 runs.
Fahim Ashraf, who remained unbeaten with 29 runs, formed a crucial partnership with Shaheen Afridi (5 not out), scoring 34 runs in 20 balls to secure a thrilling win for Pakistan in the final over.
Pakistan needed 29 runs in the last 2 overs. Fahim Ashraf capitalized on a life given in the 18.2 over, leading his team to a dramatic victory.
For the Netherlands, Aryan Dutt and Paul van Meekeren each took 2 wickets, while Logan van Beek, Kyle Klein, and Roelof van der Merwe claimed 1 wicket each.