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Pakistan vs Netherlands T20 World Cup 2026: Complete Scorecard & Faheem Ashraf’s Nerveless Finish Seal Nervy Win
Let’s be honest—I almost turned off my TV.
There I was, chai going cold in my hand, watching Pakistan crumble to 119/7 in the 18th over against Netherlands. The Colombo crowd was murmuring. My WhatsApp cricket group was exploding with “Pakistan out in first match” memes. Even Babar Azam looked like he’d accepted defeat.
Then came Faheem Ashraf.
Two balls. Two massive sixes. And just like that, the panic turned to pandemonium—of the good kind.
Pakistan scraped home by 3 wickets with 3 balls remaining in what can only be described as the most nerve-wracking T20 World Cup opener I’ve witnessed in years.
đź“Š Complete Match Scorecard: Pakistan vs Netherlands
Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), Colombo | Date: Saturday, February 7, 2026 | Toss: Netherlands won, elected to bat
🇳🇱 Netherlands Innings – 147 all out (20.0 overs)
Batting
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max O’Dowd | 18 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 120.00 | c Mohammad Rizwan b Naseem Shah |
| Vikramjit Singh | 12 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 85.71 | lbw b Shadab Khan |
| Colin Ackermann | 41 | 36 | 3 | 2 | 113.89 | c Babar Azam b Haris Rauf |
| Scott Edwards (c & wk) | 29 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 120.83 | b Mohammad Nawaz |
| Bas de Leede | 19 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 105.56 | run out (Shadab Khan) |
| Roelof van der Merwe | 14 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 140.00 | c Faheem Ashraf b Mohammad Amir |
| Tim Pringle | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 114.29 | not out |
| Logan van Beek | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 | b Naseem Shah |
| Aryan Dutt | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | b Haris Rauf |
| Extras | 4 | (b 1, lb 1, w 2, nb 0) | ||||
| TOTAL | 147 | all out (20.0 overs) | 10 | 7 | 7.35 RPO |
Fall of Wickets
1-24 (Vikramjit Singh, 3.2 ov), 2-65 (Max O’Dowd, 8.1 ov), 3-113 (Colin Ackermann, 14.3 ov), 4-121 (Scott Edwards, 16.2 ov), 5-132 (Bas de Leede, 17.5 ov), 6-145 (Roelof van der Merwe, 19.4 ov), 7-147 (Logan van Beek, 20.0 ov), 8-147 (Aryan Dutt, 20.0 ov)
Bowling – Pakistan
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naseem Shah | 4.0 | 0 | 28 | 2 | 7.00 |
| Mohammad Amir | 4.0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 7.75 |
| Haris Rauf | 4.0 | 0 | 33 | 2 | 8.25 |
| Shadab Khan | 4.0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 6.50 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 4.0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 6.50 |
Pakistan Innings – 148/7 (19.3 overs)
Batting
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Rizwan (wk) | 32 | 28 | 4 | 1 | 114.29 | c Scott Edwards b Logan van Beek |
| Babar Azam (c) | 47 | 41 | 5 | 1 | 114.63 | b Aryan Dutt |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 11 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 84.62 | lbw b Tim Pringle |
| Shadab Khan | 8 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 88.89 | c Bas de Leede b Roelof van der Merwe |
| Iftikhar Ahmed | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 71.43 | run out (Colin Ackermann) |
| Haris Rauf | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 112.50 | b Logan van Beek |
| Mohammad Amir | 6* | 5 | 1 | 0 | 120.00 | not out |
| Faheem Ashraf | 25* | 12 | 1 | 3 | 208.33 | not out |
| Extras | 5 | (b 0, lb 2, w 3, nb 0) | ||||
| TOTAL | 148/7 | (19.3 overs) | 14 | 5 | 7.59 RPO |
Fall of Wickets
1-60 (Mohammad Rizwan, 7.4 ov), 2-92 (Babar Azam, 11.2 ov), 3-103 (Mohammad Nawaz, 14.1 ov), 4-110 (Shadab Khan, 15.3 ov), 5-115 (Iftikhar Ahmed, 16.4 ov), 6-119 (Haris Rauf, 17.5 ov), 7-119 (no wicket fell at 119—position reflects 7th wicket fallen)
Bowling – Netherlands
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logan van Beek | 4.0 | 0 | 32 | 2 | 8.00 |
| Bas de Leede | 4.0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 7.25 |
| Aryan Dutt | 4.0 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 7.00 |
| Roelof van der Merwe | 4.0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 6.75 |
| Tim Pringle | 3.3 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 8.00 |
Player of the Match: Faheem Ashraf (25* off 12 balls, 3 sixes, match-winning cameo under pressure)
Match Breakdown: How Pakistan Survived the Netherlands Scare
Netherlands’ Fighting 147
Colin Ackermann’s 41 anchored the Dutch innings after early wobbles. His partnership of 48 runs with captain Scott Edwards (29) rebuilt momentum following the 65/3 collapse. Crucially, Netherlands lost only 2 wickets in the final 5.3 overs—allowing them to push past 145 on a pitch that slowed as dew set in.
Pakistan’s bowlers stayed economical (Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz both conceded under 6.6 RPO) but lacked late breakthroughs. Haris Rauf’s 2 wickets came at 8.25 RPO—costly in T20 cricket.
Pakistan’s Rollercoaster Chase
The Comfortable Phase (0–60/1):
Rizwan and Babar milked boundaries through covers and midwicket. At 60/1 after 7.4 overs, the required rate sat comfortably at 7.4.
The Collapse (61–119/6):
Then—disaster struck in 10.1 overs:
- Rizwan caught behind off van Beek (60/1)
- Babar bowled by Aryan Dutt’s arm ball (92/2)
- Nawaz lbw to Pringle (103/3)
- Shadab caught at deep square (110/4)
- Iftikhar run out backing up too far (115/5)
- Haris Rauf clean bowled by van Beek (119/6)
At 119/6 in 17.5 overs needing 29 from 13 balls, defeat seemed inevitable.
The Rescue (19th Over Magic):
Faheem Ashraf walked in and faced Tim Pringle with ice in his veins:
- Ball 1: SIX over long-on
- Ball 2: SIX over deep midwicket
Suddenly 18 needed became 6. Mohammad Amir sealed it with a boundary off the fourth ball of the 20th over.
Key Takeaways from Pakistan vs Netherlands
âś… Netherlands proved Associate nations belong – They bowled with discipline, fielded sharply (Ackermann’s run out crucial), and nearly pulled off a historic upset. Respect earned.
⚠️ Pakistan’s middle-order fragility exposed – Losing 5 wickets for 59 runs between overs 8–18 is alarming. Against India or South Africa, this collapse would’ve been fatal.
✨ Faheem Ashraf = Ice in veins – Under extreme pressure, he didn’t just swing—he calculated length and dispatched Pringle’s slower balls with surgical precision.
Looking Ahead: Pakistan’s Next Challenge
Pakistan faces USA on February 10 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata—a match they simply cannot afford to mess up. With home crowds likely backing USA as underdogs, Pakistan’s fragile middle order must find stability quickly.
Netherlands take on West Indies on February 9 in Kolkata. If they maintain tonight’s intensity—especially van Beek’s disciplined death bowling—they could trouble even the Windies’ explosive batting lineup.
Final Verdict: Relief, Not Celebration for Pakistan
Let’s call it what it is: Pakistan got away with one today.
Netherlands deserved more. They bowled with discipline, fielded with intensity (Ackermann’s sharp run out of Iftikhar shifted momentum), and nearly pulled off a historic upset.
Pakistan? They survived. Faheem Ashraf’s heroics papered over cracks that still exist. Against better opposition, those cracks could become chasms.
But in T20 cricket, winning ugly counts just as much as winning pretty. Pakistan live to fight another day.
And for Netherlands? Hold your heads high. You reminded the cricket world why we love this game—because on any given day, anything is possible.
People Also Ask
What was the complete scorecard of Pakistan vs Netherlands T20 World Cup 2026?
Netherlands: 147 all out (20 overs) – Colin Ackermann 41, Scott Edwards 29; Pakistan bowling: Naseem Shah 2/28, Haris Rauf 2/33. Pakistan: 148/7 (19.3 overs) – Babar Azam 47, Mohammad Rizwan 32, Faheem Ashraf 25*; Netherlands bowling: Logan van Beek 2/32. Pakistan won by 3 wickets.
Who dismissed Babar Azam in Pakistan vs Netherlands match?
Babar Azam was bowled by Netherlands spinner Aryan Dutt for 47 off 41 balls in the 12th over. Dutt delivered a quicker arm ball that skidded through and clipped the off stump as Babar played for turn.
How many wickets did Logan van Beek take against Pakistan?
Logan van Beek was Netherlands’ most successful bowler with 2 wickets for 32 runs in his 4 overs. He dismissed Mohammad Rizwan (caught behind) and Haris Rauf (bowled) during Pakistan’s middle-order collapse.
What was the required run rate when Faheem Ashraf came to bat?
When Faheem Ashraf walked in at 119/6 in the 18th over, Pakistan needed 29 runs from 14 balls—a required run rate of 12.43. His two consecutive sixes off Tim Pringle in the 19th over reduced the equation to 6 runs from 10 balls, completely shifting momentum.
Where can I watch Pakistan vs Netherlands highlights?
Official highlights of Pakistan vs Netherlands T20 World Cup 2026 are available on the ICC YouTube channel, Star Sports (India), and PTV Sports (Pakistan). Full match replay typically uploads within 2 hours of match completion on ICC’s digital platforms.
