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- Pakistan vs Netherlands highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: Faheem Ashraf unleashes sixes as Pakistan beat Netherlands by 3 wickets in Colombo
Pakistan vs Netherlands highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: Faheem Ashraf unleashes sixes as Pakistan beat Netherlands by 3 wickets in Colombo
Asked to bat, the Netherlands made a promising start but lost momentum in the latter half of their innings to be bowled out for 147 in 19.5 overs. Michael Levitt set the tone early with a brisk 24 off 15 balls, while Bas de Leede (30) and Scott Edwards (37) provided stability through the middle overs. However, Pakistan’s bowlers struck at regular intervals to prevent the Dutch from accelerating at the death.
Salman Mirza was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 3 for 24, while Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz chipped in with two wickets apiece. Saim Ayub’s surprise spell also proved effective, as Pakistan ensured the Netherlands never truly broke free after posting 50 in the Powerplay.
In response, Pakistan raced out of the blocks through Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan. Ayub’s 24 off 13 and Farhan’s fluent 47 off 31 had Pakistan cruising at 98 for 2, firmly in control of the chase. But what followed was a familiar wobble. Paul van Meekeren produced a sensational double-wicket maiden, removing Farhan and Usman Khan, before Roelof van der Merwe dismissed Babar Azam to leave Pakistan reeling.
The middle order struggled to regain momentum as Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz fell in quick succession, tilting the match decisively towards the Netherlands. With pressure mounting and the asking rate climbing, Faheem Ashraf took matters into his own hands.
In the 19th over, Ashraf launched Logan van Beek for three sixes and a four in a breathtaking assault that turned the game on its head. A dropped catch only added to the drama as the all-rounder powered Pakistan to the brink. He finished unbeaten on 29 off just 11 balls, earning the Player of the Match award.
Despite standout bowling efforts from van Meekeren (2/20) and Aryan Dutt (2/33), the Netherlands fell just short. Pakistan, bruised but victorious, walked away with two crucial points to start their World Cup journey.
Aryan Dutt to Mohammad Nawaz, Tossed up, full and on middle, Mohammad Nawaz eases it to long off for a single. 40 runs needed in 34 balls now.
Aryan Dutt to Mohammad Nawaz, Flatter, short and around off, skids through, Mohammad Nawaz tries to cut it away but misses.
- Mohammad Nawaz 3 (5)
- Shadab Khan 4 (7)
Paul van Meekeren to Mohammad Nawaz, Good length and around off, Mohammad Nawaz steers it away through point for one.
Paul van Meekeren to Mohammad Nawaz, Back of a length and outside off, Mohammad Nawaz slashes at it but misses.
Uh..oh! It looks like Paul van Meekeren is suffering from cramps here, and while he receives treatment, the umpires have called for Drinks. Pakistan were cruising to a victory but excellent bowling from Paul van Meekeren first and Roelof van der Merwe after him to remove 3 opponent batters in a span of 2 overs has brought the Dutch side back in the contest a bit. Pakistan are still in the pole position but with 42 more needed, a couple of more quick wickets might set this game to a close finish.
Over Summary (7–13 overs): 41 runs, 3 wickets
- Roelof van der Merwe tied things down with a couple of disciplined, tight overs.
- Sahibzada Farhan kept Pakistan moving by finding boundaries off the pacers.
- Babar Azam needed 15 deliveries before registering his first boundary.
- Paul van Meekeren turned the game with a double-wicket maiden, dismissing Farhan and Usman in the same over.
- Babar Azam eventually holed out to van der Merwe.
Paul van Meekeren to Mohammad Nawaz, WIDE! Short of a length but down the leg side, rises up a bit off the deck. Mohammad Nawaz tries to hook it away but misses. The umpire takes his time but signals the wide.
Paul van Meekeren to Mohammad Nawaz, Bangs in a bouncer now, on middle and leg, Mohammad Nawaz ducks under it.
Paul van Meekeren to Shadab Khan, Tight single! Back of a length and on off, Shadab Khan pats it in front of short cover and calls his partner for the run. Mohammad Nawaz responds well and makes his ground. The fielder misses his shy at the batter's end, but even with a direct hit, Nawaz would have been home.
Paul van Meekeren to Mohammad Nawaz, Pitched up and around off, Mohammad Nawaz drives it through covers for a run.
Paul van Meekeren to Shadab Khan, Good length and on off, Shadab Khan taps it out towars short cover and scampers across for a single.
- Shadab Khan 2 (5)
- Mohammad Nawaz 1 (1)
Roelof van der Merwe to Shadab Khan, Shorish and around off, Shadab Khan punches it to sweeper cover for one. 1/13 in 3 overs, Roelof van der Merwe continues to impress.
Roelof van der Merwe to Mohammad Nawaz, Flatter, full and on off, Mohammad Nawaz tucks it towards mid-wicket for one.
Pakistan are in a batting collapse of their own. From 98 for 2 to 100 for 5. Mohammad Nawaz walks out next for Pakistan.
Roelof van der Merwe to Babar Azam, OUT! CAUGHT! Roelof van der Merwe strikes now. Pakistan have lost 3 wickets on the last 10 balls. This is tossed up, full and around off. Babar Azam uses his feet to go big down the ground, but cuts across it. He ends up slicing it high in the air towards long off, where Kyle Klein runs to his left and takes a good catch. Babar departs for a scratchy 15 off 18, and Pakistan are 100/5, still needing 48 runs in 44 balls. Game on?
Roelof van der Merwe to Babar Azam, Slows it up, full and on off, Babar Azam gets forward and blocks it out.
The over began with a massive breakthrough. Van Meekeren banged it in short outside off and Sahibzada Farhan, who had been anchoring the chase beautifully, went for the pull. He failed to control the bounce, top-edging the ball towards long-on. Roelof van der Merwe, all of 41, sprinted across, timed his slide to perfection and completed a brilliant low catch to dismiss Farhan for a fluent 47. It was a moment of inspiration that lifted the Dutch fielders.
Two balls later came another jolt. Usman Khan, looking to improvise against a short-of-a-length delivery just outside off, tried to force the issue and ended up dragging an inside edge back onto his stumps. The Netherlands were suddenly buzzing.
Shadab Khan then walked in under pressure and found no release. Van Meekeren mixed his lengths cleverly, banging it in and angling it down the leg side, beating the bat and provoking a loud caught-behind appeal that was turned down. The final two deliveries saw Shadab sway and fend, adding to the tension.
From control to chaos, the over changed the mood completely and left Pakistan with work to do.
Roelof van der Merwe to Shadab Khan, Flighted, full and on off, Shadab Khan lofts it to long off for a run.
Roelof van der Merwe to Babar Azam, Floated, full and on off, Babar Azam pushes it through covers for a single.
A double-wicket maiden from Paul van Meekeren and the Netherlands could sense an opening here. Also, Roelof van der Merwe is back on.
- Shadab Khan 0 (3)
- Babar Azam 14 (15)
Paul van Meekeren to Shadab Khan, Double-wicket maiden over! A wide yorker, outside off, Shadab Khan jams it out to mid off.
Paul van Meekeren to Shadab Khan, Good length and just around off, Shadab Khan watches it through and leaves it alone.
Paul van Meekeren to Shadab Khan, Fuller delivery but angling down the leg side, Shadab Khan looks to flick it away but misses. There is a shout from the keeper for a caught behind, but turned down. There was a noise but maybe the ball just brushed the pads.
A couple of quick wickets for the Netherlands and Shadab Khan replaces Usman in the middle.
Paul van Meekeren to Usman Khan, OUT! DRAGGED ON! Could this be the over that gets the Dutch back in this game? Well, Paul van Meekeren has given them some hope here. He hits the length hard and around off, it takes off a bit after landing. Usman Khan tries to guide it away with an angled bat but it's too close to his body and he gets an inside edge back onto the stumps. Usman departs for a two-ball duck, and Pakistan slips from 98/2 to 98/4.
Usman Khan is the next batter for Pakistan.
Paul van Meekeren to Usman Khan, Pitched up and on middle, Usman Khan knocks it back to the bowler.
Paul van Meekeren to Sahibzada Farhan, OUT! TAKEN IN THE DEEP! Paul van Meekeren gets the set batter now. He bangs this into the pitch, on middle, gets some extra bounce. Sahibzada Farhan looks to swat it down the ground but gets into an awkward position. He fails to handle the bounce and gets a top edge towards long on. Roelof van der Merwe runs forward and takes a fantastic diving catch just above the ground. Farhan walks back for 47 off 31, missing out on his half-century. 50 runs needed in 53 balls.
- Sahibzada Farhan 47 (30)
- Babar Azam 14 (15)
Bas de Leede to Sahibzada Farhan, Short of a length and on middle, Sahibzada Farhan gets on top of the bounce and pulls it to deep square leg for one.
Bas de Leede to Babar Azam, Right in the blockhole, on middle, Babar Azam does well to dig it out beside the pitch and takes a run.
Bas de Leede to Babar Azam, FOUR! Easy pickings! Bas de Leede errs in line and serves this full but down the leg side. Babar Azam just has to get some bat on it and tickles it away to the fine leg fence for a boundary, his first.
Bas de Leede to Sahibzada Farhan, Hard length and around off, Sahibzada Farhan uses his wrists and works it towards long on for a run.
Change of bat once again for Sahibzada Farhan.
Bas de Leede to Sahibzada Farhan, On a length and on off, Sahibzada Farhan loses his bottom hand and pushes it to short cover.
Bas de Leede to Babar Azam, Fuller and outside off, Babar Azam bunts it out towards long off for a single.
- Babar Azam 8 (12)
- Sahibzada Farhan 45 (27)
Kyle Klein to Babar Azam, On a length around the pads, Babar Azam tucks this through mid-wicket and takes a run. 58 needed more at the halfway mark.
Kyle Klein to Sahibzada Farhan, Hard length, on off, Sahibzada Farhan pushes this gently to mid off and rotates the strike.
Kyle Klein to Sahibzada Farhan, WIDE! Bumper, way too high on the batter. Sahibzada Farhan leaves it. Wided.
Kyle Klein to Sahibzada Farhan, Full and down the leg, Sahibzada Farhan gets inside the line and looks for a flick but misses. The umpire doesn't call it a wide.
Kyle Klein to Sahibzada Farhan, FOUR! Off-cutter, into the deck from Kyle Klein. Sahibzada Farhan reads this early and waits for the ball to arrive close to him on his back foot. Smashes this through the backward square leg region for a boundary. The required rate drops below 6 now.
Kyle Klein to Babar Azam, On a length slanting down the leg, Babar Azam nudges this through mid-wicket for one.
Kyle Klein to Sahibzada Farhan, Back of a length around middle and leg, Sahibzada Farhan gets up on his toes and tucks this through mid-wicket. Initial call is of two from SF but the ball races to the deep mid-wicket fielder and the batters settle for one.
- Sahibzada Farhan 39 (23)
- Babar Azam 6 (10)
Roelof van der Merwe to Sahibzada Farhan, Fired into the batter, Farhan flicks this through mid-wicket and takes one. A couple of good tidy overs from Roelof van der Merwe but the same kind of support isn't available at the opposite end.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sahibzada Farhan, Quicker one, on off, Sahibzada Farhan pushes this towards the right of extra cover for no run.
Roelof van der Merwe to Babar Azam, Quicker one, around middle and off, Babar Azam gets it away through covers for a run.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sahibzada Farhan, Full and around middle and off, Sahibzada Farhan drives this through mid off for another strike rotation.
Roelof van der Merwe to Babar Azam, Flighted around leg, Babar Azam tucks this through mid on for a single.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sahibzada Farhan, Pushed through wide of off, Sahibzada Farhan hits this to long off for one.
- Sahibzada Farhan 36 (19)
- Babar Azam 4 (8)
Paul van Meekeren to Sahibzada Farhan, Back of a length around middle and leg, Sahibzada Farhan pulls this to deep mid-wicket for a single to close the over.
Paul van Meekeren to Sahibzada Farhan, FOUR! Edged and gone for four. Pace on offer, short and wide of off, Sahibzada Farhan looks for the pull but gets the timing wrong. Top-edged this behind the stumps and the ball still races to the fence for four more.
Asked to bat, the Netherlands made a promising start but lost momentum in the latter half of their innings to be bowled out for 147 in 19.5 overs. Michael Levitt set the tone early with a brisk 24 off 15 balls, while Bas de Leede (30) and Scott Edwards (37) provided stability through the middle overs. However, Pakistan’s bowlers struck at regular intervals to prevent the Dutch from accelerating at the death.
Salman Mirza was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of 3 for 24, while Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz chipped in with two wickets apiece. Saim Ayub’s surprise spell also proved effective, as Pakistan ensured the Netherlands never truly broke free after posting 50 in the Powerplay.
In response, Pakistan raced out of the blocks through Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan. Ayub’s 24 off 13 and Farhan’s fluent 47 off 31 had Pakistan cruising at 98 for 2, firmly in control of the chase. But what followed was a familiar wobble. Paul van Meekeren produced a sensational double-wicket maiden, removing Farhan and Usman Khan, before Roelof van der Merwe dismissed Babar Azam to leave Pakistan reeling.
The middle order struggled to regain momentum as Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz fell in quick succession, tilting the match decisively towards the Netherlands. With pressure mounting and the asking rate climbing, Faheem Ashraf took matters into his own hands.
In the 19th over, Ashraf launched Logan van Beek for three sixes and a four in a breathtaking assault that turned the game on its head. A dropped catch only added to the drama as the all-rounder powered Pakistan to the brink. He finished unbeaten on 29 off just 11 balls, earning the Player of the Match award.
Despite standout bowling efforts from van Meekeren (2/20) and Aryan Dutt (2/33), the Netherlands fell just short. Pakistan, bruised but victorious, walked away with two crucial points to start their World Cup journey.
Match Statistics
Venue
Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo
