T20 WC26: Pakistan survive Netherlands as first victory clinched

WEB DESK: In a nerve-wracking finish at the SSC, Pakistan survived a calamitous middle-order collapse to secure a three-wicket victory over the Netherlands with just three balls to spare. What appeared to be a routine chase turned into a thriller as the Dutch seamers, led by Paul van Meekeren, tore through the batting lineup, leaving Pakistan reeling and needing 29 runs from the final two overs.

However, the game shifted dramatically in the 19th over when Faheem Ashraf launched a brutal assault on Logan van Beek, smashing three sixes and two boundaries in a 24-run over, aided by a costly dropped catch by Max O’Dowd. With the momentum firmly back in Pakistan’s favor, Faheem sealed the win in the final over by carving Bas de Leede to the boundary, ending his match-winning cameo of 25* off just 9 balls and ensuring the Men in Green started their World Cup campaign with two vital points.

Agha goes for 12

At the halfway mark of the chase, Pakistan had firmly seized control, reaching 90/2 and reducing the equation to a comfortable 58 runs needed from 60 balls. Despite losing captain Salman Ali Agha for 12, who fell to a sharp catch at cover-point off the persistent Aryan Dutt, Sahibzada Farhan has spearheaded the attack with a commanding 45 off 27 deliveries.

Farhan’s aggressive approach, highlighted by a massive six off Logan van Beek and a flurry of boundaries against Paul van Meekeren and Kyle Klein, has kept the required run rate well under six. At the other end, Babar Azam has settled in to provide his trademark stability, nudging the ball into gaps as Pakistan looks to not only secure the win but also maximise their Net Run Rate. With a win probability now soaring at 96.22%, the Men in Green appear to be cruising toward a clinical opening victory in Colombo.

The second innings of Pakistan vs Netherlands open commenced against as Pakistan began the chase of 148 with explosive intent, though not without a significant early hiccup. Saim Ayub looked in imperious touch from the outset, racing to 24 off just 13 balls by dismantling Logan van Beek with a flurry of boundaries, including a signature whip over midwicket and a delicate flick through the gap.

However, the Dutch found their breakthrough via Aryan Dutt, who deceived Ayub with a 98km/h delivery that the opener mistimed into the hands of Roelof van der Merwe at mid-on. Despite the loss of the world’s top-ranked all-rounder, skipper Salman Ali Agha joined Sahibzada Farhan to keep the momentum high. By the fourth over, a beautiful boundary from the captain helped propel Pakistan to 34/1, maintaining a healthy run rate of 9.71 and keeping their win probability firmly at a dominant 85%.

Pakistan restrict Netherlands to 148

The Netherlands’ innings concluded in a dramatic collapse at the SSC, as they were bowled out for 147 in 19.5 overs after a clinical late-innings surge from the Pakistani bowlers.

Despite promising a more competitive total at the halfway mark, the Dutch side crumbled in the final five overs, losing six wickets for just 26 runs. Abrar Ahmed emerged as the pick of the attack, while captain Salman Ali Agha’s tactical decision to hold back Saim Ayub paid dividends when the part-timer struck twice in the 17th over. The final over saw Salman Mirza clean up the tail, dismissing Aryan Dutt—thanks to a sharp running catch by Sahibzada Farhan, and Paul van Meekeren via a thin edge to the keeper. With Shaheen Shah Afridi also contributing the vital wicket of Roelof van der Merwe, Pakistan enters the mid-innings break with a dominant 77.05% win probability.

The Netherlands’ innings hit a significant roadblock as they entered the death overs at the SSC, losing four wickets for just 37 runs in a clinical five-over stretch dominated by Pakistan’s spinners. The collapse began when Abrar Ahmed dismissed the set captain, Scott Edwards (37), who holed out to long leg off a sharp slog sweep. The pressure only intensified in the 17th over as Saim Ayub dismantled the lower middle order with a double strike.

Ayub first induced a mistimed punch from Logan van Beek, who chipped a leg-break straight to cover for a duck, before deceiving Zach Lion-Cachet (9) with a flighted, 82km/h delivery that was safely pouched at deep midwicket. This spin-induced slide has left the Dutch reeling at 129/7 after 16.4 overs, struggling to find rhythm on a surface offering significant turn and bounce.

Mid-innings

The Netherlands’ mid-innings recovery faced a major setback when Abrar Ahmed deceived Colin Ackermann with a sharp carrom ball, causing the set batter to chop onto his stumps for a 14-ball 20. Despite the breakthrough, Bas de Leede and captain Scott Edwards displayed great composure to rebuild, picking off seven runs per over against the spin tandem of Abrar and Shadab Khan. Edwards benefited from a misfield at short third and later deployed a deft sweep for four against the returning Mohammad Nawaz, while De Leede remained proactive by using his feet to disrupt the bowlers’ lengths. By the halfway mark of the innings, the Dutch had navigated the pressure to reach 79/3, keeping their scoring rate steady at nearly eight runs per over. Netherlands stand at 89 for 3.

Pakistan’s fielding coordination reached its peak with the dismissal of Michael Levitt. Levitt slashed at a flat from Nawaz, only for Babar Azam to produce a high-wire act at the long-off boundary. Babar yanked the ball back into the field of play just as his momentum carried him over the line, allowing Shaheen Shah Afridi to complete the relay. The third umpire confirmed the clean transition, sending Levitt back for a quickfire 24 off 15 balls.

Sustaining momentum

The “Men in Green” enter this tournament with massive momentum following a 3-0 series whitewash of Australia. Today’s match sees them facing a Dutch side they have a complex history with, most notably the Netherlands’ 2022 win over South Africa that paved Pakistan’s way to the final.

Captain Agha described the SSC surface as presenting “unusual conditions” for Sri Lanka, featuring a fresh layer of grass and lingering moisture from recent monsoon rains. “It’s the first time I’ve seen this much grass here,” Agha noted at the toss, explaining his tactical decision to unleash a three-pronged pace attack. Pakistan has opted for Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, and Faheem Ashraf to exploit the early lateral movement, while Abrar Ahmed and Shadab Khan provide the spin variety.

The match holds significant personal stakes for the squad. Saim Ayub enters the tournament as the world’s top-ranked T20I all-rounder, while veteran Mohammad Nawaz is on the brink of history; he needs just four more scalps to surpass Shahid Afridi on Pakistan’s all-time T20I wicket-takers list.

Netherlands captain Scott Edwards remained upbeat despite losing the toss, calling the track a “very good batting wicket.” With a squad featuring seasoned giant-killers like Bas de Leede and Roelof van der Merwe, the Dutch are looking to replicate their reputation for causing World Cup upsets.

With Pakistan already navigating a high-pressure Group A, a dominant start in Colombo is essential before their upcoming fixtures.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and elected to field first against the Netherlands in the opening clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.