Pakistan vs Netherlands Live Score, T20 World Cup 2026: PAK take on NED in opening match of tournament.Pakistan vs Netherlands T20 World Cup 2026: It was heroics from Faheem Ashraf (unbeaten 29 off 11 balls) in the 19th over that helped the Pakistan team beat the Netherlands by three wickets with three balls to spare in their T20 World Cup 2026 opener. Chasing a target of 148, Pakistan went from 98/2 to 114/7 after losing wickets like Sahibzada Farhan (47) and Babar Azam (15). But Faheem took charge of the game, and was lucky to be dropped by Max O’Dowd in the 19th over, where the game turned in Pakistan’s favour.
Pakistan vs Netherlands T20 Match, Live Cricket Score, Full Scorecard
Earlier, after a strong start, the Netherlands could only manage 147 runs batting first against Pakistan in their T20 World Cup opening game on Saturday. The Netherlands had smashed their way to 50/2 in the powerplay, but Pakistan were exceptional in the field all game, dismissing nine of the 10 Dutch batters with catches. The most jawdropping one was the relay catch from Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi to send home in-form batter Michael Levitt.
Pakistan have won the toss and asked the Netherlands to bat first on a pitch that has plenty of grass cover. Pakistan are already in a must-win stage as they begin their T20 World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on Saturday, which is also the curtain raiser for the entire tournament, set to be held jointly in India and Sri Lanka. The Salman Agha-led team, who have been instructed by their government to boycott the India match on February 15th, will have to win all their remaining group stage encounters.
Venkata Krishna B is on the ground in Colombo brining us the latest updates
The others in the group are Netherlands, USA and Namibia, teams which Pakistan are expected to beat, especially after drubbing a depleted Australia squad 3-0 in the lead-up to the World Cup. But in the recent past, Pakistan have had the tendency to slip on the proverbial banana skin with the Men in Green having had their campaigns cut short prematurely.
Like in the last T20 World Cup, Pakistan had shockingly lost to USA and then went down to India. This meant that even though they won their remaining 2 games vs Ireland and Canada, those losses played a major part in their exit from the group stage. Pakistan are also likely to face weather-related challenges in Colombo, where they are scheduled to play their group-stage matches which might add to their worries if they are going to forgo the India match.
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Faheem Ashraf, Player of the Match, speaks: "We have been playing this brand of cricket for this past year. Heart rates go up and down, it's happened so many times before, we're used to it. Shaheen and I were talking about saving wickets, knew we could take down whatever in one over. When the ball is in the air, you just want the ball to land. Our efforts is to finish games as early as possible. But you have to hold your nerves in these situations."
PAKISTAN WIN BY THREE WICKETS! HEARTBREAK FOR THE NETHERLANDS, WHO WERE IN TOUCHING DISTANCE OF A FAMOUS T20 WORLD CUP UPSET!
After that game changing 19th over, Pakistan stride home to victory by three wickets in Colombo! Heartbreak
Faheem Ashraf (unbeaten 29 runs from 11 balls | 2x4, 3x6) is the hero for Pakistan.
A dropped catch of Faheem in the 19th over was the gamechanger!
Pakistan went from 98/2 to 114/7 before Faheem took charge of the game and dragged them to victory.
WHAT A DRAMATIC OVER! THREE SIXES, A FOUR AND A DROPPED CATCH!
After a long spell of pressure with the bat, Faheem finally manages to smash a six on the first ball of the 19th over! And on the second ball, there is a chance of a catch but Max O'Dowd drops Faheem at long on! The Dutch keeper is livid!
Pakistan now need 21 from 10 balls. And right afterwards, Faheem makes the Dutch pay, with a maximum right over the bowler's head!
Pakistan now need 15 from 9 after the second six.
After a dot ball on the fourth ball, Faheem slaps the ball for another maximum! Third six of that one over and a catch that was dropped. On the final ball, Faheem slashes at the ball
24 runs from the 19th over! Pakistan now need five runs in the final over for victory!
Pakistan need boundaries. Desperately! After 18 overs gone, Pakistan have just three wickets in hand and need to score 29 runs from two overs.
The last two overs have been devastating:
12th over: wicket maiden
13th over: 4 runs, 1 wicket
14th over: 5 runs
15th over: 4 runs
16th over: 3 runs, 1 wicket
17th over: 1 run, 1 wicket
18th over: 4 runs
Another wicket! Pakistan in free fall! A wicket on the final ball of the 16th over and another one on the first ball of the 17th over! Shadab tries the glance a ball on his pads past the keeper and it takes a faint edge that is taken!
Shadab Khan c †Edwards b van Beek 8 (12b 0x4 0x6) SR: 66.66
PAK slump to 114/7 with 34 runs needed
Another wicket gone! Slower ball from Klein gets the top edge of the in-form Nawaz, and the keeper catches it easily.
Pakistan are in freefall! Just three runs in that over. And a wicket!
Required run rate is 8.5 now! Pakistan are 114/6 after 16 overs.
Mohammad Nawaz c †Edwards b Klein 6 (13b 0x4 0x6) SR: 46.15
Pakistan Cricket Team is unravelling in their T20 World Cup opener against the Netherlands. PAK have gone from 98/2 to 100/5 as Babar Azam departs for 15! Sent an ball that hit the toe end of the bat to long off!
That was a bit of a reckless shot with the situation of the match being as it was. And now, even though the run rate is very close to run a ball, the five wickets falling will add to the pressure on the two men in the middle, Shadab and Nawaz.
Babar Azam c Klein b van der Merwe 15 (18b 1x4 0x6) SR: 83.33 | Pakistan need 46 runs from 42 balls
WHAT IS HAPPENING! PAKISTAN LOSE THEIR SECOND WICKET IN THREE BALLS!
Two balls after sending back Farhan, van Meekeren sends back Usman Khan, who chops the ball on to his own stumps.
Usman Khan b van Meekeren 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0
van Meekeren has a double-wicket maiden as Pak are 98/4 after 12 overs.
WHAT A CATCH FROM VAN DER MERWE! He's 41 years old, but runs about 30 metres before taking a low catch to send back the batter who was approaching a half century.
Sahibzada Farhan c van der Merwe b van Meekeren 47 (31b 4x4 2x6) SR: 151.61
The four overs after the powerplay overs ended have seen the Pakistan side consolidate. Babar Azam, still finding his feet at No 4, is playing at 8 runs off 12 balls. Farhan is the man to watch, as he approaches his half century.
PAK need 58 runs from 60 balls | PAK are 90/2 after 10 overs
61/2 after six overs for Pakistan as Babar Azam is taking his time to get his eye in. Farhan, who has been around for a while now, is the man to watch,, as he has scored 24 in 12 balls.
After 6 overs, PAK are 61/0
FOUR. SIX. FOUR. WICKET!
An eventful over from Aryan Dutt as he picks up captain Salman Agha. 15 runs and a wicket in that over! Pakistan are trying to smash their way to victory here and losing wickets in the process.
Salman Agha c Levitt b Dutt 12 (8b 3x4 0x6) SR: 150
Another productive over for Pakistan, who now need 110 runs for victory with 16 overs (and 10 wickets) at their disposal.
two boundaries and three runs from a single ball in that over.
PAK are 27/1 after 4 overs
Saim Ayub what have you done! No need to hit that shot, with the outfield being so fast and the required rate not being very high! After plundering 13 runs in the previous over, Saim Ayub tries to hit a no-look shot and top edges the ball into the palms of van der Merwe at mid on.
Saim Ayub c van der Merwe b Dutt 24 (13b 4x4 1x6) SR: 184.61
PAK are 27/1 after 3 overs
Van Beek bowling the second over and Saim Ayub decides to go for the jugular. He does so by hitting three fours in a row with the fourth almost finding it past the infield as well. Devastating batting from Ayub here.
After 2 overs, PAK are 22/0
Saim Ayub, who has been out of form, starts us off with a six after stepping out in only the third ball of the Pakistan innings. A clean hit over long on.
Dutt does well, but beating the batter's blade in a ball that hits the pads, but was going down leg.
After one over, PAK are 9/0
Pakistan's chase is underway with Farhan and Saim in the middle with Aryan Dutt handed the ball by the Dutch. They have started with spin here!
After picking up two wickets, Pakistan's Mohammad Nawaz says that Pakistan should be able ot chase down the target easily.
"I kept my plans simple. Knew pitch was good, tried to bowl wicket to wicket. They played the sweep well, focus was to hit a good line and length. They were coming hard from ball one. So it was easier as we just had to bowl good and let them do what they wanted to. It's a good total, we should chase this down comfortably. As a unit, everyone is focusing on the job," Nawaz tells the broadcaster.
NED set PAK target of 148 in tournament opener. A run rate of 7.40 per over should do the trick!
Aryan Dutt departs for 13 while trying to hit a six in the final over of the innings. It was a slower one, so he gets limited assist from the bowler's pace! Mirza picks up his second wicket as Sahibzada Farhan catches a good catch in the deep by asking Saim Ayub to stay back and not get in the way!
Just on the next ball, we have the final wicket with Van Meekren edging it behind to the keeper!
Aryan Dutt c Sahibzada Farhan b Salman Mirza 13 (8b 2x4 0x6) SR: 162.5
Paul van Meekeren c †Usman Khan b Salman Mirza 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0
Another brilliant catch in the deep from Pakistan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi gets his first wicket! Salman Ali Agha runs back and takes a tricky catch at long off!
Roelof van der Merwe c Agha Salman b Shaheen Shah Afridi 4 (9b 0x4 0x6) SR: 44.44
Some cheer for Shaheen Shah Afridi, who gave away 23 runs in his first two overs before he was taken off!
NED lose their third wicket in five balls! Unravelling. And fast!
Saim Ayub has his second wicket in just his 4th ball of the game!
Zach Lion-Cachet tried to hit the ball out of the park and ended up giving deep midwicket some catching practice.
Zach Lion-Cachet c Mohammad Nawaz b Saim Ayub 9 (8b 1x4 0x6) SR: 112.5
NED are 129/7
Logan van Beek departs for a duck as Saim Ayub gets his first wicket of the day in just his second ball of the game. Very soft dismissal and he pokes the ball to the fielder at cover!
Netherlands are losing steam.
Logan van Beek c Agha Salman b Saim Ayub 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0
The Netherlands have now lost half their side as the captain of the team, Edwards, departs while trying to sweep the ball form Abrar to a six, but finding Farhan in the deep.
Scott Edwards c Sahibzada Farhan b Abrar Ahmed 37 (29b 3x4 1x6) SR: 127.58
Two boundaries in that 15th over from Mohammad Nawaz.
After 15 overs are gone, NED captain Scott Edwards remains as the batter to watch. He's batting on 34 runs in 25 balls! Edwards is an exceptional player of spin, and with the pacers yet to come back, he is what the Dutch need!
Shadab Khan drops a return catch on the first ball of his fourth over! Netherlands almost lost their fifth wicket! The 14th over ends with Shadab giving away five runs.
On the comms, Wasim Akram speaks about how Pakistan have worked very hard and improved their fielding in the past year or so. We have certainly seen some signs of it, but over the past five or so years, there have been many mishaps --- dropped catches, misfields, overthrows --- that belie the claim!
After 14 overs, NED are 112/4
Nawaz sends back Bas de Leede for 30 runs. And the wicket comes on the fourth ball, right after the NED had scored 11 runs in the first three balls, with a six and a four. Babar Azam takes a smooth catch on long off!
After they lost three wickets, the Netherlands had been propped up by Bas de Leede and skipper Scott Edwards. Bow the former is back in the hut with the score reading 105/4
Bas de Leede c Babar Azam b Mohammad Nawaz 30 (25b 4x4 0x6) SR: 120
Netherlands are playing a one-boundary-per-over game. And then rest of the balls, they keep rotating strike whenever they can! Pakistan have managed to reel the Netherlands batters in a little, thanks to the three wickets and the fact that spinners are now operating.
Remember, in one of the recent T20 games against Australia, all 10 wickets had been picked up by the PAK spinners. So despite the grass on offer in the 22-yard strip, the spinners will have a lot of menace for PAK.
After 10 overs, NED are 79/3
Shadab Khan comes in for his second over. And we have, for the first time today, a Pakistan misfield! And the outfield is sooo quick, that the ball runs to the ropes!
Pakistan have so far been exceptional in the field, especially with the two catches for the first two wickets of today
After 9 overs, NED are 72/3
Colin Ackermann was off to a flier with four boundaries and 20 runs in 14 balls! And right after he slapped the ball to the square leg boundary, Abrar Ahmed hits back with a ball that beats Ackermann and slams into the stumps!
Colin Ackermann b Abrar Ahmed 20 (14b 4x4 0x6) SR: 142.85
After 8 overs, NED are 65/3
Shadab Khan is brought in for the 7th over and he is thumped for 8 runs, with one boundary and the rest of the runs coming in singles!
After 7 overs, NED are 58/2
14 runs from the 6th over as Bas de Leede and Colin Ackermann pick off from where Levitt left! Three boundaries in the over besides a couple of extras!
What imperious batting from the Dutchmen!
After 6 overs, NED are 50/2
Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi complete jawdropping wonder catch to send back Levitt! The first moment for the T20 World Cup 2026 highlight reel!
Spin is in! And it's an instant wicket! Nawaz handed the ball for the 5th over! And he strikes on the second ball! It's a relay catch that gets rid of him! The ball flew straight over the bowler's head, and Babar Azam chases the ball and catches it, before taking one step inside the ropes before throwing the ball back into the field which Shaheen Shah Afridi accepts gratefully! The umpire checks replays, but it's clean!
Michael Levitt c Shaheen Shah Afridi b Mohammad Nawaz 24 (15b 3x4 1x6) SR: 160
Finally, some luck goes Pakistan's way as the first ball of the fourth over sees a wicket! Mirza's ball was top edged by O'Dowd and there are four fielders huddling under the ball to catch it. Just then, keeper Usman Khan runs 33 metres screaming that the catch is his, and dives to complete the catch!
Pakistan have their first wicket with NED's score reading 28/1
Max O'Dowd c †Usman Khan b Salman Mirza 5 (7b 1x4 0x6) SR: 71.42
And Mirza ends the over giving away just three runs! What a difference a wicket can make!
After 4 overs, NED are 31/1
For third over in a row, the Dutch have started an over with a boundary! This time it's Michael Levitt, who pulls the first over midwicket. The second ball would have touched the ropes too, had it not been for a full-length dive from Faheem, who restricts the score to two runs!
But on the third ball, Shaheen Shah Afridi is tonked --- absolutely smashed --- for a maximum over deep backward square leg with a pull shot by Levitt, who is now batting on 23 runs in 12 balls!
After 3 overs, NED are 28/0
If the first two fours in the over of Afridi were feather touches to the ropes, Mirza's first ball of the second over is absolutely smashed to the off side ropes by Levitt! And then we see the Dutchman trying to free their arms and smash the ball over the infield men! A sign of their confidence, despite the skills that PAK pacers command.
After 2 overs, NED are 14/0
Netherlands start their innings --- and the T20 World Cup --- with a boundary! A 137 kmph ball first up by Shaheen Shah Afridi. Had a little bit of swing. But was on the leg stump and Michael Levitt flicks it to the boundary!
Third ball of the first over, there is the first sign of the bounce that this grassy pitch is likely to give!
But on the fifth ball, Shaheen Shah Afridi again strays on the pads and this time its Max O’Dowd who flicks the ball to the ropes. Two fours in the first over!
"Soft start," says Ramiz Raja after the second boundary.
After one over, NED are 9/0
Michael Levitt and Max O'Dowd in the middle for the Netherlands. Shaheen Shah Afridi has the ball! Three men in the circle on the off side, three more on the led side. One slip in place.
Here we go! Both sets of players are out for the national anthems. The first game of the T20 World Cup is just minutes away.
Scott Edwards, the captain of the Netherlands team, says: "I think it's a very good looking wicket. We probably would have bowled as well, we're happy to bat. I don't know if it's a must-win, but obviously you've got four games, you have to win three of them to give yourself a chance. For us it is a big game, but so are the other three games. We'll give it our best. (On the spin challenge) I hope we are ready for that. We've been in India and Sri Lanka for the last sort of month and a half now, so we feel like we're used to the conditions and yeah, we're primed and ready to go. We've got plenty of all-rounders, plenty of options for bowling and batting."
Salman Agha, after deciding to bowl first, says: "We are gonna bowl first because it's a fresh pitch and there's rain around for a few days. So we just wanted to see if there's any moisture and we want to use that. For the first time I have seen so much grass in Sri Lanka. We have spinners and fast bowlers who can do the job here as well. So, we are playing three pacers and we have all-rounders for the spin department. They (Netherlands) are a very good side. They have played good cricket and we'll just focus on our strengths. We want to ensure we execute our plans and if we do that, we are good enough to beat any side."
Netherlands (Playing XI)
Max O'Dowd, Michael Levitt, Bas de Leede, Scott Edwards (C/WK), Colin Ackermann, Zach Lion-Cachet, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Kyle Klein, Paul van Meekeren.
Pakistan pace legend Waqar Younis speaks of Pakistan's team composition. He says seeing Naseem Shah missing from the playing XI is surprising!
Here is Pakistan XI
1 Saim Ayub, 2 Sahibzada Farhan, 3 Salman Agha (capt), 4 Babar Azam 5 Usman Khan (wk) 6 Shadab Khan, 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Faheem Ashraf , 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Salman Mirza, 11 Abrar Ahmed
Pakistan pace legend Waqar Younis, speaking after the toss with JioHotstar, says: "I wouldn't call it overcast (skies in Colombo). Scattered clouds, they just kept coming and passing. Fair bit of blue skies. This is the best way to go (bowling first). Fresh pitch, brand new tournament. Want to test your bowlers first. Pakistan has been batting really well. Pakistan have an all round side. In good form. Agha was very confident at the toss."
Both teams are finishing the warm up drills early as there is a short opening ceremony set to take place soon. Pakistan are in the hurdle where coach Mike Hesson seems to giving a pep talk.
Image via Venkata Krishna B, The Indian Express’ man in Colombo. The image also clears up the air about the weather conditions at the ground in Colombo.
Just over an hour left for the KL opening game of the T20 World Cup between Pakistan and The Netherlands. But not much of a crowd building up at SSC, which is in the heart of Colombo. Mind you the ICC and SLC have said it is a free entry for fans. A few hundred school students have already taken their seats. The general stands remain empty.
Images via Venkata Krishna B, The Indian Express' man in Colombo
Though this is supposed to be a dry season in the Island nation of Sri Lanka, the past week has seen heavy rain in the capital city. After arriving in Colombo, Pakistan’s lone warm-up fixture against Ireland was washed-out on Wednesday evening at the Singhalese Sports Club because of heavy rain.
So will Pakistan's opener against the Netherlands be affected by the rain?
Here's what the weather report for today's PAK vs NED clash looks like
In today's Group A clash, where Pakistan start off their campaign against the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. Pakistan have won the T20 World Cup once, back in 2009 in what was Pakistan's sole success in T20 World Cup history. They came close in 2021, but lost the final. For Pakistan, the 2024 event, the most recent one, was a hard knock after they exited in the group-stage itself. The record shows that since the T20 World Cup in 2024, Pakistan have played ten bilateral series, winning five, losing four and drawing one.
Good morning and welcome to the first live blog of the T20 World Cup 2026 where Pakistan take on the Netherlands. The Pakistan team will be hoping to make short work out of the European side. The points they pick up today will be crucial, since Pakistan have refused to play against India in the group stage match, essentially forfeiting the points, they will need to win all their remaining games to leave no doubts they make it to the next round.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) will incur losses while the country’s tourism industry will suffer if Pakistan sticks to its stand of not playing India in Colombo next Sunday. These financial implications were highlighted in a letter to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Bandula Dissanayake, Sri Lanka Cricket secretary, told The Indian Express.
Though the month-long tournament kick-starts at the Singhalese Sports Club here on Saturday with Pakistan taking on The Netherlands, it is the Pakistan government’s decision not to stop their team from playing against India that has emerged as the talking point in Sri Lanka.
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