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Pakistan registered a hard-fought three-wicket victory over the Netherlands in the opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Sri Lanka.
Chasing a target of 148 runs, Pakistan reached the total after losing seven wickets, with the match going down to the final over. Although Pakistan got off to a solid start, a middle-order collapse took the game deep. Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with 47 runs off 31 balls, keeping Pakistan in a strong position early on, while opener Saim Ayub contributed 24 runs.
The Netherlands’ bowlers tightened the screws in the middle overs, reducing Pakistan to a precarious 114/7. In a tense situation, Faheem Ashraf produced a remarkable innings, smashing 29 runs off just 11 balls to swing the match in Pakistan’s favor. Despite a strong effort from the Dutch bowlers, Pakistan sealed the win with three balls to spare.
For the Netherlands, Paul van Meekeren and Aryan Dutt claimed two wickets each. Bas de Leede was tasked with defending four runs in the final over, but Pakistan’s batters managed to finish the chase in time.
Earlier, after winning the toss and opting to bowl first, Pakistan restricted the Netherlands to 147 runs, bowling them out in 19.5 overs. Captain Scott Edwards led the Dutch innings with 37 runs off 29 balls, including three fours and a six. Bas de Leede scored 30 runs, while Michael Levitt added a quick 24. Aryan Dutt’s 13 runs off seven balls towards the end helped the Netherlands reach a competitive total.
At one stage, the Netherlands looked well placed at 127/5, but Pakistan struck back with regular wickets in the 16th and 17th overs. Spin played a key role for Pakistan, with Abrar Ahmed taking 2 wickets for 23 runs in four overs. Saim Ayub also impressed with the ball, picking up two wickets for just seven runs in one over. Mohammad Nawaz claimed two wickets as well, while Shaheen Shah Afridi and Salman Mirza took one wicket each.
The match set an exciting tone for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
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