Pakistan started their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a tense three-wicket victory over the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club. In a strong bowling performance, Salman Mirza took three wickets, helping restrict the Netherlands to 147 all out in 19.5 overs. Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, and Saim Ayub also played crucial roles in Pakistan’s bowling effort.
The Netherlands, after a brisk start by Michael Levitt, struggled as wickets fell at regular intervals. Despite some resistance from Scott Edwards, Pakistan’s spinners controlled the middle overs effectively. Mirza, with figures of 3-24, and Abrar Ahmed, with 2-23, led Pakistan to keep the Netherlands below par.
In the chase, Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub provided a solid start for Pakistan. However, a collapse in the middle overs saw the Netherlands making a comeback. With the match hanging in the balance, Faheem Ashraf’s late heroics, including three sixes and a boundary, secured a crucial victory for Pakistan. Pakistan, after a scare, managed to chase down the target with three wickets in hand.
