The 2026 T20 World Cup is officially underway, and in true Pakistan fashion, they made sure the opening match was anything but a simple affair. Playing at the historic Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo, the Men in Green secured a 3-wicket victory over the Netherlands, but not before giving their fans a few heart-stopping moments.
The Bowling Blueprint
After winning the toss and opting to bowl, Pakistan’s strategy was clear: use the spin-friendly Colombo track to suffocate the Dutch batters. It worked. Despite a decent start from Michael Levitt, the Dutch middle order struggled to read Mohammad Nawaz and Abrar Ahmed.
The Netherlands were eventually bundled out for 147, a total that looked at least 20 runs short on this surface. Abrar, making his first ICC appearance, looked particularly sharp, while Salman Mirza provided great support at the death.
The Quintessential Pakistan Collapse
Chasing 148, Pakistan looked like they were cruising. Sahibzada Farhan (47 off 31) and Saim Ayub set a solid platform, and at 98/2, it looked like an early finish was on the cards.
But then, the “unpredictable” tag came into play. A boundary drought of nearly 30 balls, combined with the quick wickets of Babar Azam and Shadab Khan, saw Pakistan slip to a precarious 100/5. Paul van Meekeren and Aryan Dutt bowled with incredible heart, making the 2009 champions sweat for every run.
Faheem Ashraf: The Unlikely Hero
With the game heading toward a massive upset, Faheem Ashraf stepped up. Coming in under immense pressure, Faheem played a match-defining cameo, smashing an unbeaten 29 off just 11 balls.
Turning Point of The Match- A crucial dropped catch by Max O’Dowd in the 19th over gave Faheem the life he needed, and he didn’t look back, finishing the game with three balls to spare.
What This Means for Pakistan
A win is a win, but skipper Salman Ali Agha will know there’s plenty to fix. With Pakistan already under pressure due to the forfeit of their match against India, every single point is gold. They survived the Dutch scare today, but they’ll need more consistency from the middle order if they want to go deep in this tournament.
Brief Scores:
- Netherlands: 147 all out (Bas de Leede 30; Mohammad Nawaz 3/24)
- Pakistan: 148/7 in 19.3 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 47, Faheem Ashraf 29*; Paul van Meekeren 2/20)
- Result: Pakistan won by 3 wickets.
- Player of the match: Faheem Ashraf
