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Catch up on all the action from the start of the T20 World Cup between Pakistan and Netherlands
Faheem Ashraf produces a brilliant late cameo as Pakistan passed through lively The Netherlands side in a tense opening match of T20 World Cup 2026
Chasing 148, Pakistan found themselves in serious trouble after a middle-order collapse despite a strong start and were left needing 29 runs from the last two overs. Batting at number 8, Faheem turned the game around by taking 22 runs from Logan van Beek in the penultimate over.
He hit three sixes and one four in the over and with four runs needed from four balls finished the game with a boundary. Faheem remained unbeaten with 29 off 11 deliveries as Pakistan secured victory with three balls to spare.
Earlier, opener Saim Ayub set the early pace with 24 off 13 balls, including four fours and a six, before Aryan Dutt dismissed him in the third over with Pakistan 27-1.
Skipper Salman Ali Agha joined Sahibzada Farhan to keep the scoring rate going and the team passed 50 within five overs, although Agha fell soon after with 12 off eight deliveries.
Farhan, along with Babar Azam, continued the momentum and scored 47 off 29 balls. Pakistan were well-placed at 98-2 after 11 overs before the Netherlands staged a sharp turnaround, reducing them to 114-7.
Paul van Meekeren initiated the collapse in the 12th over with two successive wickets, dismissing Farhan and then Usman Khan for a duck.
Roelof van der Merwe was followed by the removal of Babar Azam for 15, leaving Pakistan 100-5 in the 13th over. Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan got away cheaply as the chase slowed down before Faheem’s late intervention.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s bowlers, especially the spinners, brought back the score to restrict Holland to 147 all out in 19.5 overs after being asked to bat first.
The Dutch got off to a positive start with Michael Levitt hitting a boundary off the opening delivery to help his side reach 28 for no loss in three overs. Pakistan responded when Salman Mirza dismissed Max O’Dowd trying to shoot.
Saim Ayub added further pressure by dismissing Logan van Beek for the first ball and Zac Lyon-Cash for nine to leave Holland on 129-7.
Shaheen Afridi removed Roelof van der Merwe for four while Salman Mirza ended the innings in the final over by dismissing Ariane Dutt for 13 and Paul van Meekeren not out.
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