Pakistan vs Netherlands, 1st Match, Group A, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
🏏 ICC MEN’S T20 WORLD CUP 2026 • GROUP A • MATCH 1 • February 7, 2026 • SSC, Colombo
| Date | 7 February 2026 | 11:00 AM IST | NED 147 | PAK 148/7 |
| Venue | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo, Sri Lanka | T20I #3684 |
| Toss | Pakistan won elected to field first | POTM: Faheem Ashraf |
RESULT: Pakistan won by 3 wickets (with 3 balls remaining)
What a way to open a World Cup. Faheem Ashraf walked out with Pakistan teetering at 114 for 7, needing 34 runs off 24 balls, and turned a potential humiliation into a last-gasp triumph. PAK vs NED delivered the kind of drama that makes T20 cricket the most addictive sport on the planet a nervy chase, five wickets tumbling in the space of seven overs, and then one man bringing the whole thing home with three balls to spare.
The Netherlands were so close. Then they weren’t.
Pakistan vs Netherlands Match Summary & Highlights
Pakistan set the tournament alight in the worst and best way possible. They restricted the Dutch to 147 a manageable target on the SSC surface then inexplicably collapsed from 98 for 2 to 114 for 7, handing Netherlands a genuine sniff at one of T20 cricket’s biggest upsets.
Faheem Ashraf dragged Pakistan back from the brink in a match that got far more nervy than it ever should have. His unbeaten 29 off just 11 balls studded with two fours and three sixes rescued a side that had completely lost the plot in the middle overs. Shaheen Shah Afridi played the perfect supporting act, holding one end firm as Faheem did the heavy lifting.
This was the highest match aggregate (295) involving Pakistan and Netherlands in T20Is, and also the highest in their T20 World Cup history. Don’t let the margin fool you. Pakistan didn’t control this match they survived it.
Netherlands, for their part, fought brilliantly. Scott Edwards acknowledged they weren’t at their best, but credited his bowlers for keeping them in the game. A 147-run total on a slow SSC pitch was competitive enough to spark genuine hope, and their bowling attack exploited Pakistan’s mid-innings wobble beautifully.
Pakistan vs Netherlands Head-to-Head in T20 World Cup
The rivalry between these two sides is short in matches but surprisingly rich in drama. Before this game, PAK vs NED had produced two T20 World Cup encounters. Pakistan won both but neither was a cakewalk once Netherlands found their footing. Pakistan now hold a perfect 3-0 record against Netherlands across all T20 World Cup meetings.
| Year | Tournament | Venue | Winner | Margin |
| 2009 | ICC World Twenty20 (England) | Lord’s, London | Pakistan | 82 runs |
| 2022 | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (Australia) | Adelaide | Pakistan | 6 wickets |
| 2026 | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (India/Sri Lanka) | SSC, Colombo | Pakistan | 3 wickets |
Back in 2009, Pakistan crushed a raw Dutch outfit by 82 runs at Lord’s Mohammad Amir’s debut match, as it happens. The 2022 encounter in Adelaide was tighter than the margin suggests, with Netherlands posting a spirited total before Pakistan’s batters eventually took charge. And now in 2026, Netherlands came closest yet to ending Pakistan’s unbeaten record in this fixture. They had their moment. They let it go.
Key Performers of the Match
Player of the Match
Faheem Ashraf (PAK) 29* off 11 balls (SR: 263.64 | 2 Fours | 3 Sixes)
Nobody writes a script like Faheem. He spoke about saving wickets with Shaheen and knowing they could take down whatever total was needed in one over. That calm under fire 34 needed from 24, then a 24-run final over off van Beek was the difference between victory and disaster. Three sixes. Two fours. The PAK vs NED narrative belonged entirely to him.
Top Batting Performances
Netherlands 1st Innings Batting Scorecard
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | Dismissal |
| Michael Levitt | 24 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 160.00 | c S Afridi b M Nawaz |
| Max O’Dowd | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 71.43 | c U Khan b S Mirza |
| Bas de Leede | 30 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 120.00 | c B Azam b M Nawaz |
| Colin Ackermann | 20 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 142.86 | b A Ahmed |
| Scott Edwards (c & wk) ★ | 37 | 29 | 3 | 1 | 127.59 | c S Farhan b A Ahmed |
| Zach Lion Cachet | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 112.50 | c M Nawaz b S Ayub |
| Logan van Beek | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | c SA Agha b S Ayub |
| Aryan Dutt | 13 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 162.50 | c S Farhan b S Mirza |
| Roelof van der Merwe | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 44.44 | c SA Agha b S Afridi |
| Kyle Klein | 2* | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 | Not out |
| Paul van Meekeren | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | c U Khan b S Mirza |
| Extras | 3 | (w-2, lb-1) | ||||
| TOTAL | 147 | (19.5 ov | 7.41 RPO) | ALL OUT |
Pakistan 1st Innings Batting Scorecard
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | Dismissal |
| Saim Ayub | 24 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 184.62 | c R Merwe b A Dutt |
| Sahibzada Farhan ★ | 47 | 31 | 4 | 2 | 151.61 | c R Merwe b P Meekeren |
| Agha Salman (c) | 12 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 150.00 | c M Levitt b A Dutt |
| Babar Azam | 15 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 83.33 | c K Klein b R Merwe |
| Usman Khan (wk) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | b P Meekeren |
| Shadab Khan | 8 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 | c S Edwards b L Beek |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 6 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 46.15 | c S Edwards b K Klein |
| Faheem Ashraf ★ POTM | 29* | 11 | 2 | 3 | 263.64 | Not out |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | 5* | 9 | 0 | 0 | 55.56 | Not out |
| Salman Mirza / Abrar Ahmed | DNB | – | – | – | – | – |
| Extras | 2 | (w-2) | ||||
| TOTAL | 148/7 | (19.3 ov | 7.59 RPO) | WON by 3 wkts |
Top Bowling Performances
Netherlands Bowling vs Pakistan
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | WD | Eco |
| Aryan Dutt | 4 | 0 | 33 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8.25 |
| Logan van Beek | 4 | 0 | 46 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11.50 |
| Kyle Klein | 3 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7.67 |
| Roelof van der Merwe | 3 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4.33 |
| Paul van Meekeren ★ | 4 | 1 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5.00 |
| Bas de Leede | 1.3 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.67 |
Pakistan Bowling vs Netherlands
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | WD | Eco |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | 3 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9.33 |
| Salman Mirza ★ | 3.5 | 0 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6.26 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 4 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9.50 |
| Shadab Khan | 4 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.50 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 4 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5.75 |
| Saim Ayub | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7.00 |
Group A Points Table Impact
This result gave Pakistan two crucial points to start their 2026 campaign. Group A is ruthless India, Pakistan, Netherlands, USA, and Namibia are all competing for the two Super Eights spots. Every match matters. Every run matters.
Pakistan had already played 34 T20Is against ten nations in the nine months before this tournament, winning 24, capping their preparation with a 3-0 demolition of Australia. All that groundwork, and they still nearly blew it against the Netherlands.
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | NR | Pts | NRR |
| Pakistan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +0.05 |
| Netherlands | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.05 |
| India | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| USA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Namibia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Pakistan vs Netherlands Match Statistics & Records
This was T20I #3684, and it produced some genuinely notable statistical moments. PAK vs NED now has three meetings in World Cup history, with Pakistan maintaining a perfect record though this was by far the most competitive.
| Stat Category | Record / Detail |
| Most Runs (PAK vs NED T20 WC) | Scott Edwards 37 (NED) | Sahibzada Farhan 47 (PAK) |
| Most Wickets (PAK vs NED T20 WC) | Salman Mirza 3 wickets (this match) |
| Match Result | Pakistan won by 3 wickets (3 balls remaining) |
| Result Summary T20 World Cup | Pakistan 3–0 Netherlands (2009, 2022, 2026) |
| Highest Total (PAK vs NED T20 WC) | Pakistan 148/7 SSC Colombo, 2026 |
| Lowest Total (PAK vs NED T20 WC) | Netherlands 91 Lord’s, London, 2009 |
| Highest Match Aggregate (PAK vs NED T20 WC) | 295 (147 + 148) SSC Colombo, 2026 ✦ NEW RECORD |
| Lowest Match Aggregate (PAK vs NED T20 WC) | 182 Lord’s, London, 2009 |
| Largest Victory (PAK vs NED T20 WC) | Pakistan by 82 runs Lord’s, 2009 |
| Smallest Victory (PAK vs NED T20 WC) | Pakistan by 3 wickets SSC Colombo, 2026 |
| Most Extras in an Innings | Netherlands: 3 extras | Pakistan: 2 extras |
| Van Beek Record | 46 runs conceded most by a NED bowler in a single T20 WC innings (surpassing his own record of 45) |
Netherlands 1st Innings
The Dutch batted with real intent early. Michael Levitt and Max O’Dowd gave them a lively start, and at 28 for 0 after three overs, a target of 160-plus looked entirely possible. Pakistan’s spinners had other ideas. The Dutch middle order showed character Scott Edwards’ 37 kept the total competitive but wickets fell in clusters that Pakistan’s attack was disciplined enough to engineer.
Batting
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | Dismissal |
| Michael Levitt | 24 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 160.00 | c S Afridi b M Nawaz |
| Max O’Dowd | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 71.43 | c U Khan b S Mirza |
| Bas de Leede | 30 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 120.00 | c B Azam b M Nawaz |
| Colin Ackermann | 20 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 142.86 | b A Ahmed |
| Scott Edwards (c & wk) | 37 | 29 | 3 | 1 | 127.59 | c S Farhan b A Ahmed |
| Zach Lion Cachet | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 112.50 | c M Nawaz b S Ayub |
| Logan van Beek | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | c SA Agha b S Ayub |
| Aryan Dutt | 13 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 162.50 | c S Farhan b S Mirza |
| Roelof van der Merwe | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 44.44 | c SA Agha b S Afridi |
| Kyle Klein | 2* | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 | Not out |
| Paul van Meekeren | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | c U Khan b S Mirza |
| Extras | 3 | (w-2, lb-1) | ||||
| TOTAL | 147 | (19.5 ov) | ALL OUT |
Fall of Wickets
| Wkt | Score | Batter | Over |
| 1st | 28-1 | Max O’Dowd | 3.1 |
| 2nd | 31-2 | Michael Levitt | 4.2 |
| 3rd | 65-3 | Colin Ackermann | 7.6 |
| 4th | 105-4 | Bas de Leede | 12.4 |
| 5th | 127-5 | Scott Edwards | 15.6 |
| 6th | 128-6 | Logan van Beek | 16.2 |
| 7th | 129-7 | Zach Lion Cachet | 16.4 |
| 8th | 139-8 | Roelof van der Merwe | 18.4 |
| 9th | 147-9 | Aryan Dutt | 19.4 |
| 10th | 147-10 | Paul van Meekeren | 19.5 |
Bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | WD | Eco |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | 3 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9.33 |
| Salman Mirza | 3.5 | 0 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6.26 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 4 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9.50 |
| Shadab Khan | 4 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.50 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 4 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5.75 |
| Saim Ayub | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7.00 |
Pakistan 1st Innings
Pakistan’s chase started like a dream and descended into a nightmare before Faheem Ashraf made it a fairy tale. Saim Ayub cracked 24 off 13 at the top. Sahibzada Farhan was magnificent for 47. Then the wheels came off spectacularly from 98 for 2 in the 11th over, Pakistan fell to 114 for 7 by the 16th. Five wickets for 16 runs. Van Meekeren, Dutt, and Klein took full advantage of Pakistan’s suddenly cautious strokeplay.
Batting
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | Dismissal |
| Saim Ayub | 24 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 184.62 | c R Merwe b A Dutt |
| Sahibzada Farhan | 47 | 31 | 4 | 2 | 151.61 | c R Merwe b P Meekeren |
| Agha Salman (c) | 12 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 150.00 | c M Levitt b A Dutt |
| Babar Azam | 15 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 83.33 | c K Klein b R Merwe |
| Usman Khan (wk) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | b P Meekeren |
| Shadab Khan | 8 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 | c S Edwards b L Beek |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 6 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 46.15 | c S Edwards b K Klein |
| Faheem Ashraf ★ POTM | 29* | 11 | 2 | 3 | 263.64 | Not out |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | 5* | 9 | 0 | 0 | 55.56 | Not out |
| Salman Mirza / Abrar Ahmed | DNB | – | – | – | – | – |
| Extras | 2 | (w-2) | ||||
| TOTAL | 148/7 | (19.3 ov) | WON by 3 wkts |
Fall of Wickets
| Wkt | Score | Batter | Over |
| 1st | 27-1 | Saim Ayub | 2.4 |
| 2nd | 53-2 | Agha Salman | 4.5 |
| 3rd | 98-3 | Sahibzada Farhan | 11.1 |
| 4th | 98-4 | Usman Khan | 11.3 |
| 5th | 100-5 | Babar Azam | 12.4 |
| 6th | 114-6 | Mohammad Nawaz | 15.6 |
| 7th | 114-7 | Shadab Khan | 16.1 |
Bowling
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | WD | Eco |
| Aryan Dutt | 4 | 0 | 33 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8.25 |
| Logan van Beek | 4 | 0 | 46 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11.50 |
| Kyle Klein | 3 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7.67 |
| Roelof van der Merwe | 3 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4.33 |
| Paul van Meekeren | 4 | 1 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5.00 |
| Bas de Leede | 1.3 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.67 |
Read More About : Pakistan National Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: India vs Pakistan Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026 – Kishan’s 77 Seals 8-1
Playing XI
Pakistan Playing XI
| # | Player | Role |
| 1 | Saim Ayub | Batter / All-rounder |
| 2 | Sahibzada Farhan | Batter / WK |
| 3 | Agha Salman (c) | Captain / All-rounder |
| 4 | Babar Azam | Batter |
| 5 | Usman Khan (wk) | Wicketkeeper / Batter |
| 6 | Shadab Khan | All-rounder |
| 7 | Mohammad Nawaz | All-rounder |
| 8 | Faheem Ashraf | All-rounder |
| 9 | Shaheen Shah Afridi | Bowler |
| 10 | Salman Mirza | Bowler |
| 11 | Abrar Ahmed | Bowler |
Netherlands Playing XI
| # | Player | Role |
| 1 | Michael Levitt | Batter |
| 2 | Max O’Dowd | Batter |
| 3 | Bas de Leede | All-rounder |
| 4 | Colin Ackermann | All-rounder |
| 5 | Scott Edwards (c & wk) | Captain / WK / Batter |
| 6 | Zach Lion Cachet | Batter |
| 7 | Logan van Beek | All-rounder |
| 8 | Roelof van der Merwe | All-rounder |
| 9 | Aryan Dutt | Bowler |
| 10 | Kyle Klein | Bowler |
| 11 | Paul van Meekeren | Bowler |
Bench
Pakistan Unused Squad Members
| Player | Role |
| Fakhar Zaman | Batter |
| Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk) | Wicketkeeper |
| Naseem Shah | Bowler |
| Usman Tariq | Batter |
Netherlands Unused Squad Members
| Player | Role |
| Noah Croes | Batter |
| Fred Klaassen | Bowler |
| Timm van der Gugten | Bowler |
| Saqib Zulfiqar | Bowler |
Support Staff
Pakistan Support Staff
| Role | Name |
| Head Coach | Michael Hesson |
| Selection Committee Member | Aqib Javed |
| Captain | Salman Ali Agha |
Netherlands Support Staff
| Role | Name |
| Captain | Scott Edwards |
Full Netherlands coaching staff details were not publicly disclosed ahead of the tournament.
Read More About : India National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Complete ODI Series 2025 Analysis
Match Details
Toss: Pakistan won the toss and elected to field
Salman Agha didn’t hesitate. He won the toss and opted to bowl a calculated decision. The SSC surface at Colombo offers early movement for seamers, and Agha wanted to use any morning freshness with the new ball. He also knew dew in the second half would make chasing easier. Interestingly, Scott Edwards confirmed he would have bowled first as well rare agreement between two captains, and a clear signal about how the SSC pitch plays in this tournament.
Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo
The Sinhalese Sports Club Ground known simply as the SSC is one of Colombo’s most storied cricket venues. Nestled in the Cinnamon Gardens area of the city, it carries a quieter, more intimate atmosphere compared to the larger R. Premadasa Stadium across town. The ground capacity sits around 10,000, making it one of the smaller World Cup venues, but the quality of cricket it hosts is anything but small. The SSC hosted Pakistan’s group-stage matches in this tournament, making it essentially a temporary home base for the Green Shirts in Sri Lanka.
Match Officials
| Role | Official |
| On-field Umpire | Kumar Dharmasena |
| On-field Umpire | Wayne Knights |
| TV Umpire | Richard Illingworth |
| Match Referee | Richie Richardson |
| Reserve Umpire | Chris Gaffaney |
Pitch Report – Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo
The SSC surface is a black-soil strip historically one of the more batting-friendly decks at Colombo’s cricket venues, but with important caveats. The ball grips a bit and offers variable bounce, making it difficult to gauge the wicket. Spinners are predominantly the go-to options for captains here. Pakistan’s captain expected spin to be decisive, and that proved correct.
The majority of matches at this ground have been won by teams batting second, because dew plays a role in the second half and the ball comes onto the bat well in the final ten overs. A target of 147 was always going to be gettable, in theory. Pakistan’s middle-order collapse proved that theory isn’t always enough. The large boundaries at SSC also reward bowlers who vary pace and target the corners Pakistan’s spinners used this effectively to strangle the Dutch in the middle overs.
Weather Conditions on Match Day
The PAK vs NED match was played on the morning of February 7 (11:00 AM IST start), meaning conditions were cooler than the afternoon heat Sri Lanka typically delivers. Colombo’s February climate sits around 28–30°C during the day, with high humidity hovering around 80%. There was no significant rain interruption on match day, and the match completed without any weather-related delay.
Early morning in Colombo does sometimes carry a heavy dew, which can affect bowling grip and ball movement. Pakistan’s decision to bowl first allowed their seamers to exploit any early freshness in the pitch before it flattened out under the day’s heat and humidity a tactical call that looked smart, even if the execution of the chase later caused unnecessary anxiety.
Read More About : Australia Tour of Pakistan 2026 Schedule & Results: Complete PAK vs AUS Series Coverage
Frequently Asked Question
Who won the Pakistan vs Netherlands 1st Match in the T20 World Cup 2026?
Pakistan won the 1st Group A match against Netherlands in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The result significantly impacted the Group A points table standings.
Who was the Player of the Match in Pak vs Ned?
The Player of the Match was awarded to the standout performer who made the biggest impact with either bat or ball. Their contribution proved decisive in shaping the match outcome.
What was the final scorecard of Pakistan vs Netherlands?
The full scorecard includes complete batting, bowling figures, fall of wickets, and match totals for both teams. You can find detailed innings breakdowns above in the match report.
What is Pakistan vs Netherlands head-to-head record in T20 World Cup?
Pakistan has historically dominated the Netherlands in T20 World Cup encounters. The updated head-to-head record, including total matches and wins, is listed in the section above.
How did this match affect the Group A points table?
This result played a crucial role in shaping the Group A qualification scenario. Net run rate and total points gained from this match influenced semi-final chances.
Conclusion
The PAK vs NED opener at T20 World Cup 2026 will be remembered for one thing: Faheem Ashraf refusing to let Pakistan lose. When the middle-order implosion threatened to write one of cricket’s more embarrassing headlines, he stepped up with something extraordinary 29 off 11 in a situation that demanded exactly that.
Netherlands played their part superbly. They’re no longer the pushover side the cricket world once dismissed. Their bowling unit van Meekeren, Dutt, van der Merwe executed a plan against Pakistan that came within touching distance of historic success. Scott Edwards should be proud. They left Colombo with nothing in the points column, but they left with their reputation considerably enhanced.
Pakistan, meanwhile, have two crucial points. But captain Salman Agha said it plainly: ‘We have to do it the hard way.’ If the PAK vs NED match is any indication of how Pakistan’s tournament will unfold, the coming weeks promise to be anything but dull for millions of fans watching from India, the UAE, and everywhere the Green Shirts have a heartbeat.
Arjun Veer is a passionate cricket analyst with over 8 years of experience in covering the dynamic world of cricket. Specializing in latest cricket news, match updates, and detailed player stats, Arjun has become a trusted voice for cricket fans looking for accurate and timely information.
