Pakistan opened their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a three-wicket win over the Netherlands in Colombo on Saturday, thanks to Faheem Ashraf’s late assault. Under pressure, wobbling badly, and staring at an early crisis, Pakistan survived through nerve and one decisive over.
The chase of 148 never looked demanding on paper. Pakistan reached 98 for 2 with time and wickets in hand before the innings unravelled alarmingly.
Sahibzada Farhan’s 47 gave the start some shape, but his dismissal triggered panic. Babar Azam fell soon after, and the middle order followed in quick succession.
Pakistan slumped to 114 for 7 and handed momentum firmly to the Netherlands. Discipline with the ball and sharp fielding had dragged the associate side back into the contest.
Then came the moment that decided the game. Faheem Ashraf launched Logan van Beek in the 19th over and survived when Max O’Dowd spilled a regulation catch on the second ball.
That miss proved fatal. Faheem punished the error ruthlessly, smashing three sixes and a four to plunder 24 runs from the over and flip the match on its head.
Suddenly, the equation collapsed in Pakistan’s favour. Five runs were required from the final over, and Pakistan crossed the line with three balls to spare.
Faheem finished unbeaten on 29 from just 11 balls, an innings built on clarity and brute force. He turned a looming defeat into a statement of intent.
For the Netherlands, the dropped catch will linger. They had Pakistan cornered and let them slip away at the crucial moment.
Earlier, the Dutch innings rested on steady contributions rather than one dominant knock. Captain Scott Edwards top-scored with 37 from 29 balls, anchoring the effort.
Bas de Leede added 30, while Michael Levitt chipped in with 24 and Colin Ackermann with 20. The total of 147 looked competitive on a surface offering grip and variation.
Pakistan’s bowlers shared the workload effectively. Salman Mirza led with three wickets for 24, applying pressure through the middle overs.
Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed and Saim Ayub claimed two wickets apiece and prevented the Netherlands from accelerating at the death.
Pakistan entered the tournament surrounded by off-field noise and selection debate. They needed a win to steady the ship, and they found it the hard way.
