Pakistan registered a nervy three-wicket win over the Netherlands in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 opener in Colombo. What looked like an easy chase turned into a major scare before Faheem Ashraf produced a match-winning late assault.
Chasing 148 runs, Pakistan started aggressively. Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan attacked from the first over. The pair raced to 27 runs in 2.5 overs. The intent was clear.
Saim Ayub looked in dangerous form. He struck 4 fours and 1 six. He scored 24 off 13 balls at a brisk pace. His innings ended when Aryan Dutt removed him. Pakistan lost their first wicket at 27.
Captain Salman Ali Agha joined Farhan but could not settle. He scored 12 runs before falling. Despite wickets, the scoring rate stayed healthy.
Sahibzada Farhan played the anchor role. He controlled the innings well. He punished loose balls and rotated strike smartly. Farhan scored 47 off 31 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes. By the 10th over, Pakistan were cruising at 90 for 2. The target looked well under control.
The turning point came soon after.
Paul van Meekeren dismissed Farhan for 47, just three runs short of a half-century. That wicket changed the momentum completely. The Netherlands sensed an opening.
Pakistan collapsed dramatically.
Usman Khan was dismissed for a duck. Babar Azam struggled with timing. He scored 15 off 18 balls and was caught off Roelof van der Merwe. The pressure mounted quickly.
From 98 for 2, Pakistan slumped to 114 for 7. They lost five wickets for just 16 runs. The Netherlands bowlers bowled with discipline and used the bounce effectively. The crowd at the SSC Ground was stunned.
With 33 runs needed off 18 balls and only three wickets in hand, the Netherlands were on the verge of a famous upset. Pakistan were in serious trouble.
Then came Faheem Ashraf.
Facing Logan van Beek in the 19th over, Faheem changed the game. He survived a huge scare when Max O’Dowd dropped him at the boundary. That moment proved decisive.
Faheem launched a brutal counterattack.
He smashed three massive sixes and one four in the over. He collected 24 runs from that single over. The equation suddenly dropped to 5 runs off the final over. The momentum swung back to Pakistan instantly.
The Netherlands had no answer to the onslaught.
Pakistan calmly finished the chase in the final over to seal a three-wicket victory. What should have been a routine win turned into a thrilling escape.
Despite the win, Pakistan will be concerned about the middle-order collapse. The Netherlands, on the other hand, will take confidence from pushing a top team to the edge.
In the end, Faheem Ashraf’s composure and power-hitting ensured Pakistan avoided a historic defeat and began their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a win.