Pakistan opened their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a tense victory over Netherlands in a match that swung dramatically across both innings before a late finish secured the result.
After Pakistan chose to bowl, Netherlands began aggressively with Michael Levitt attacking Shaheen Shah Afridi early, helping the Dutch side reach a brisk start. Levitt’s quick 24 set the tone before Pakistan’s spinners pulled the innings back through the middle overs. Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, and Saim Ayub combined to trigger a collapse that saw Netherlands lose six wickets for 26 runs late in the innings.
Key contributions from Bas de Leede and Scott Edwards ensured Netherlands still posted a competitive total of 146, a score considered challenging on a slowing surface.
Pakistan’s chase started positively with Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan attacking early, pushing the run rate comfortably ahead. However, a sudden middle-order collapse shifted the momentum as Pakistan slid from 98/2 to 115/7, bringing Netherlands firmly back into the contest through disciplined bowling from Paul van Meekeren and Roelof van der Merwe.
With the match slipping away, Faheem Ashraf produced a decisive counterattack. His powerful hitting in the 19th over, including multiple sixes, transformed the equation and brought Pakistan within reach before he finished the chase with a boundary in the final over to secure a dramatic win.
The result gives Pakistan a crucial early tournament victory but also highlights batting vulnerabilities that may need addressing as the competition progresses, while Netherlands will take confidence from pushing a major team to the final moments.
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha (capt), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed
Netherlands: Michael Levitt, Max O'Dowd, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (capt, wk), Zach Lion-Cachet, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Kyle Klein, Paul van Meekeren
