Faheem Ashraf’s Late Blitz Seals Thrilling Win for Pakistan

Pakistan edged past the Netherlands by three wickets, with three balls to spare, in the opening match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 at the Singhalese Sports Club Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. After the Netherlands chose to bat, they put up 147 runs in 19.5 overs, with Scott Edwards as the highest scorer. Salman Mirza led Pakistan’s bowling attack with 3/24 in 3.5 overs, while Saim Ayub and Abrar Ahmed chipped in with two wickets each.

In reply, Farhan Sahibbzada and Saim Ayub gave Pakistan a blazing start. However, Pakistan lost momentum early as Saim Ayub fell in the third over. Soon after, wickets kept falling at regular intervals, and Pakistan slipped to 114/7 after 16.1 overs. At that point, the Netherlands looked firmly in control of the match.

However, Faheem Ashraf stepped in and changed the game with a superb knock of 29 runs off just 11 balls. At the same time, Shaheen Afridi stayed calm at the other end and protected his wicket. Together, they steadied the chase and pushed Pakistan closer to the target. Eventually, Pakistan held their nerve, overcame a late scare caused by the Netherlands’ tight bowling, and sealed the win with three balls remaining.

For the Netherlands, Paul van Meekeren was the most effective bowler with figures of 2/20 in four overs, while Aryan Dutt also picked up two wickets.

Brief Scorecard

Netherlands (Ned) : 147 (19.5)

Scott Edwards 37(29), Bas de Leede 30(25), Michael Levitt 24(15);

Salman Mirza 3/24(3.5), Saim Ayub 2/7(1)

Pakistan (Pak) : 148/7 (19.3)

Sahibzada Farhan 47(31), Faheem Ashraf 29*(11), Saim Ayub 24(13);

Paul van Meekeren 2/20(4), Aryan Dutt 2/33(4)

Player of the Match: Faheem Ashraf

The Netherlands gave a signal in the opening match that they have the potential to cause big upsets. Pakistan narrowly avoided a late scare thanks to a superb, blazing knock by Faheem Ashraf. Be ready for more action.Stay tuned with JUSZNEWS for regular updates!