T20 WC 2026: Faheem cameo helps Pakistan survive late scare
Pakistan suffered a middle-order collapse, forcing them to go deep in a match they were cruising till the halfway stage
The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 is off to a thrilling start as, in the opening fixture of the tournament played at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Saturday, Pakistan survived a close scare against the Netherlands to start their World Cup campaign on a high.
Pakistan, in a small chase of 148, had to dig deep as they won the match by just three wickets with three balls to spare. Faheem Ashraf (29 not out off 11 balls), with his brilliant cameo, scored 24 runs in the 19th over to help Pakistan avoid another T20 World Cup upset.
Deja vu for Pakistan
Pakistan’s close win against the Netherlands on Saturday will come across as a deja vu as they went through a similar situation in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup held in the USA and West Indies. Pakistan suffered a huge upset at the hands of the USA in the event after losing to India and were knocked out at the group stage.
However, the Salman Agha-led side managed to survive in 2026 to keep their Super 8 hopes up and running.
Pakistan strike back after Netherlands’ brisk start
After winning the toss, Pakistan opted to bowl first. The Netherlands began aggressively but lost early momentum when Max O’Dowd was dismissed cheaply. Michael Levitt provided brief impetus at the top, but Pakistan’s spinners tightened the screws through the middle overs.
Colin Ackermann attempted to rebuild with a counter-attacking cameo, though his dismissal soon after the powerplay stalled another potential partnership. Scott Edwards held the innings together with a composed knock, rotating strike and finding timely boundaries, but regular wickets prevented the Dutch side from accelerating fully.
Pakistan’s bowlers dominated the death overs, with quick strikes halting the Netherlands’ late push. The European side were eventually bowled out for 147 in 19.5 overs, a competitive total but one that always felt slightly under par on a good batting surface.
Chase gets tricky despite strong start
Pakistan’s reply began at a brisk pace, with early boundaries putting the bowlers under pressure. However, the Netherlands fought back strongly through Aryan Dutt, who struck twice in quick succession to keep the contest alive.
The momentum swung again as Pakistan reached the powerplay at a healthy rate, before Sahibzada Farhan anchored the chase with a fluent knock. His dismissal just short of a deserved half-century opened the door for the Netherlands, who sensed an upset as wickets fell in clusters.
Babar Azam’s departure further tilted the balance, and tight bowling through the middle overs dragged the match deep, testing Pakistan’s lower order.
Late flourish seals Pakistan win
With the required rate climbing, Pakistan needed composure in the final overs. Faheem Ashraf delivered just that, producing a stunning late assault that swung the match decisively. His unbeaten 29 off 11 balls turned the tide, while Shaheen Afridi provided calm support at the other end.
Pakistan eventually crossed the line with three balls to spare, sealing a three-wicket victory and a confident start to their campaign in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.