T20 World Cup 2026: Netherlands reel after losing seven wickets against Pakistan

WEB DESK: Under the searing morning sun at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), 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.

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.

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.