Netherlands National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard
Match Overview
The highly anticipated opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 between the Netherlands national cricket team and the Pakistan national cricket team took place on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo. Pakistan won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that would prove crucial in a tightly contested cricket match. Batting first, the Netherlands posted a competitive total of 147 runs before being bowled out in the 19.5th over. In response, Pakistan’s innings started strongly but suffered a dramatic middle-order collapse, slipping from a comfortable 98/2 to a precarious 114/7.
However, a spectacular late-order cameo by Faheem Ashraf, who smashed an unbeaten 29 runs off just 11 balls, guided Pakistan to a thrilling 3-wicket victory with 3 balls to spare. For his match-winning heroics with the bat, Faheem Ashraf was named the Player of the Match. This comprehensive Netherlands national cricket team vs Pakistan national cricket team match scorecard breaks down every run, wicket, and key moment of this World Cup thriller.
Netherlands National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Netherlands Batting
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M Levitt | c Shaheen Shah Afridi b Mohammad Nawaz | 24 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 160.00 |
| MP O’Dowd | c †Usman Khan b Salman Mirza | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 71.42 |
| BFW de Leede | c Babar Azam b Mohammad Nawaz | 30 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 120.00 |
| CN Ackermann | b Abrar Ahmed | 20 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 142.85 |
| SA Edwards (c) † | c Sahibzada Farhan b Abrar Ahmed | 37 | 29 | 3 | 1 | 127.58 |
| ZB Lion-Cachet | c Mohammad Nawaz b Saim Ayub | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 112.50 |
| LV van Beek | c Salman Agha b Saim Ayub | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| A Dutt | c Sahibzada Farhan b Salman Mirza | 13 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 162.50 |
| RE van der Merwe | c Salman Agha b Shaheen Shah Afridi | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 44.44 |
| K Klein | not out | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| PA van Meekeren | c †Usman Khan b Salman Mirza | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | 3 | |||||
| Total | 147/10 | 19.5 |
Pakistan Bowling Figures
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | 3 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 9.33 |
| Salman Mirza | 3.5 | 0 | 24 | 3 | 6.26 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | 4 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 9.50 |
| Shadab Khan | 4 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 6.50 |
| Abrar Ahmed | 4 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 5.75 |
| Saim Ayub | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 7.00 |
Netherlands National Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Pakistan Batting
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sahibzada Farhan | c van der Merwe b van Meekeren | 47 | 31 | 4 | 2 | 151.61 |
| Saim Ayub | c van der Merwe b Dutt | 24 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 184.61 |
| Salman Agha (c) | c Levitt b Dutt | 12 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 150.00 |
| Babar Azam | c Klein b van der Merwe | 15 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 83.33 |
| Usman Khan † | b van Meekeren | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Shadab Khan | c †Edwards b van Beek | 8 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 66.66 |
| Mohammad Nawaz | c †Edwards b Klein | 6 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 46.15 |
| Faheem Ashraf | not out | 29 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 263.63 |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | not out | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 55.55 |
| Extras | 2 | |||||
| Total | 148/7 | 19.3 |
Netherlands Bowling Figures
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Dutt | 4 | 0 | 33 | 2 | 8.25 |
| LV van Beek | 4 | 0 | 46 | 1 | 11.50 |
| K Klein | 3 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 7.66 |
| RE van der Merwe | 3 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 4.33 |
| PA van Meekeren | 4 | 1 | 20 | 2 | 5.00 |
| BFW de Leede | 1.3 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 8.66 |
Key Highlights & Match Analysis
The opening fixture of the T20 World Cup 2026 series delivered edge-of-the-seat excitement from start to finish. When analyzing the batting performances, Sahibzada Farhan was the standout batter for Pakistan, anchoring the innings with a well-crafted 47 runs off 31 balls, including 4 fours and 2 sixes. His partnership with Saim Ayub (24 off 13 balls) gave Pakistan a flying start, taking the score to a comfortable 53/2.
However, the turning point of the match arrived when the Dutch bowlers struck back brilliantly. Paul van Meekeren and Aryan Dutt triggered a massive batting collapse, reducing Pakistan from 98/2 to a precarious 114/7. The required run rate began to climb, and the Dutch bowlers clearly had the upper hand.
Just when it seemed like the Netherlands would pull off a massive upset, Faheem Ashraf walked in and completely changed the momentum. His explosive, unbeaten 29 runs off a mere 11 balls—featuring 2 fours and 3 massive sixes—shattered the Dutch bowling attack. His strike rate of 263.63 in a high-pressure World Cup match is a testament to his incredible finishing abilities.
For the Netherlands, captain Scott Edwards top-scored with a gritty 37 runs off 29 balls, while Bas de Leede contributed a valuable 30 runs off 25 balls. Their efforts kept the Netherlands in the game after a shaky start. In the bowling department, Salman Mirza was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan, claiming an impressive 3 wickets for just 24 runs in his 3.5 overs. His crucial breakthroughs in the powerplay and middle overs restricted the Netherlands to a sub-par total on a decent batting pitch.
Aryan Dutt (2/33) and Paul van Meekeren (2/20) were exceptional for the Netherlands, nearly taking the game away from Pakistan. Van Meekeren’s disciplined spell included a vital maiden over that built immense pressure. The match showcased the depth of Pakistan’s batting lineup, as they survived a massive scare to secure two crucial points in Group A.
Head-to-Head Record
| Format | Matches | Pakistan Wins | Netherlands Wins | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20Is | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
FAQ Section
Q: Who won the Netherlands vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 match? A: Pakistan won the opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 against the Netherlands by 3 wickets.
Q: Who was the Player of the Match? A: Faheem Ashraf was named the Player of the Match for his explosive, unbeaten cameo of 29 runs off 11 balls that guided Pakistan to victory.
Q: What was the final match result and score? A: Pakistan won by 3 wickets with 3 balls to spare. The Netherlands scored 147 all out in 19.5 overs, and Pakistan chased it down, finishing at 148/7 in 19.3 overs.
Q: When and where was the match played? A: The match was played on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Q: What is the current series or group standing after this match? A: As this was the first match of Group A in the T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan secured 2 points, while the Netherlands remained on 0 points in the group standings.
Conclusion
The Netherlands national cricket team vs Pakistan national cricket team match scorecard reflects a classic T20 World Cup opener filled with drama, collapses, and individual brilliance. Pakistan’s ability to hold their nerve during a severe middle-order batting collapse and rely on Faheem Ashraf’s lower-order fireworks ultimately made the difference. The Netherlands proved they are a highly competitive side but will need to improve their death bowling in future games. Pakistan will look to carry this hard-fought momentum into their next Group A fixture, while the Netherlands will aim to bounce back and get their World Cup campaign on track.
