Faheem Ashraf's Heroics Rescue Pakistan in T20 World Cup Opener Against Netherlands

Pakistan launched their ICC T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a nerve-wracking three-wicket victory over the Netherlands at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club on February 7, 2026. What should have been a comfortable chase of 148 turned into a thriller as Pakistan collapsed spectacularly in the middle overs before Faheem Ashraf's explosive hitting rescued them with just three balls remaining.

After winning the toss and electing to field first, Pakistan restricted the Netherlands to 147 all out with one ball remaining in their innings. Captain Scott Edwards led the Dutch resistance with a fighting 37 off 29 balls, but the Pakistani bowlers maintained control throughout, never allowing the Netherlands to build significant partnerships. The total of 147 appeared well within Pakistan's capabilities given their batting depth and experience.

The chase began promisingly for Pakistan, but disaster struck in the middle overs as they lost five wickets for just 16 runs. The collapse transformed what seemed like a routine victory into a potential upset, with the Netherlands sensing an opportunity to shock one of the tournament favorites. The Pakistani dugout grew increasingly nervous as wickets tumbled and the required run rate climbed, with the sold-out Colombo crowd witnessing a dramatic shift in momentum.

Faheem Ashraf emerged as Pakistan's unlikely hero, launching a stunning assault in the penultimate over of the match. The all-rounder smashed three consecutive sixes to completely turn the tide, his 29 runs off just 11 balls swinging the momentum decisively back in Pakistan's favor. With the equation reduced to manageable proportions, Ashraf sealed the victory with a boundary, leaving three balls unused and sparking celebrations in the Pakistani camp. His match-winning performance earned him the Player of the Match award.

The victory gives Pakistan two crucial points in Group A, though the manner of the win will concern captain Babar Azam and the coaching staff. The middle-order collapse exposed vulnerabilities that stronger opponents will look to exploit as the tournament progresses. The T20 World Cup 2026, being held across venues in Sri Lanka, features the world's best teams competing for cricket's most prestigious short-format trophy. Pakistan's next group stage match will provide another opportunity to address these concerns and build momentum toward the knockout stages. For the Netherlands, despite the defeat, their fighting performance demonstrated they won't be easy opponents for anyone in this tournament.