Pakistan vs Netherlands Highlights, T20 World Cup 2026: Faheem Ashraf's late blitz helps PAK avoid NED scare

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Mohammad Nawaz drifts down the leg, and Scott Edwards has no problem in sweeping the delivery for a four. Shaheen Afridi tried his best but wasn't able to stop it from going for a boundary. Netherlands 86/3 in 10.4 overs.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: At the halfway stage, Netherlands are 79/3. Bas de Leede and Scott Edwards are in the middle, and the duo have enough experience. The two batters would like to milk the spinners before unleashing some big shots.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Netherlands might have lost three wickets but the Dutch are maintaining a good run rate of 8 per over. Scott Edwards would hope to stay till the end and propel the Netherlands to a good defendable total.

Netherlands 72/3 in 9 overs.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: A beautiful delivery by Abrar Ahmed comes in sharply and he lives up to the tag of being the wicket-taker for Pakistan. Colin Ackermann had no clue against the ball that turned into him and hence is bowled through the gate.

Netherlands 65/3 in 8 overs.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Salman Mirza gives away 14 runs, including three boundaries in the sixth over and the Netherlands conclude the powerplay in some style. Much-needed impetus after losing two wickets in quick succession.

Netherlands 50/2 in 6 overs.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi combine forces for a spectacular tag team catch, and this sees the back of Michael Levitt (24). Michael Levitt wanted to go downtown for a maximum; however, he failed to get the desired connection. Babar Azam ran to his right from long-off and ended up catching it with his hands. However, the momentum took him over the boundary rope, but he lobbed the ball up in the air, and Shaheen did the needful.

Netherlands 31/2 in 4.2 overs.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: At last, the first breakthrough comes for Salman Mirza. Max ODowd went for a pull shot on the off-cutter bowled by the pacer, but he only managed to get a top edge, and the wicketkeeper Usman Khan had no difficulty in completing a diving catch. He walks back after scoring 5 runs off 7 balls.

Netherlands 28/1 in 3.1 overs.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Michael Levitt is treating Shaheen Shah Afridi like a novice! He begins the third opener with a boundary of the opening ball and then goes BANG for a six on the third delivery. Shaheen is being hammered left, right and centre as Levitt is showing no signs of being bogged down by a performer like Shaheen.

Netherlands 26/0 in 2.3 overs.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: After being smashed for a four of the opening ball, Salman Mirza stages a good comeback, keeping the Dutch openers quiet. He concedes just one run off the remaining five balls.

Netherlands 14/0 in 2 overs.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Matthew Hayden's jaw drops after listening to the sound of Lewitt's bat! Salman Mirza is greeted into the attack with a gorgeous shot, and the ball races to the fence through the covers. Solid intent from both openers Lewitt and Max ODowd.

Netherlands 13/0 in 1.1 overs.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: The opening over sees Shaheen Afridi not at his best as he dishes out two loose deliveries, which the Netherlands openers had no trouble in hitting for boundaries. He also comes up with two jaffas, but a true mixed bag and one expected better from the pacer, who is known for picking wickets in the opening over of a contest.

Netherlands 9/0 in 1 over.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Netherlands opener Michael Levitt begins the proceedings in some style by hitting a boundary of the opening ball. Shaheen Afridi comes up with a loose half-volley drifting to the pads and the right-hander has no trouble in flicking the delivery away to the boundary ropes.

Netherlands 4/0 in 0.1 overs.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Shaheen Shah Afridi has the ball in his hand, and the Netherlands openers are in the middle. The stage is set for the proceedings to begin. Let the game start! Over to the two teams to give us a true spectacle and something to write about.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: A sizeable and respectable crowd has turned up to see the opening match of the T20 World Cup at the SSC in Colombo. A few Pakistan fans are also in attendance. The skies are clear for now, but with Sri Lanka, you never know. It can start pouring anytime. However, the forecast is good for the entire of Saturday and hence we should get a full contest.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: It's time for national anthems! The two teams walk out, and we are just minutes away from the beginning of the first match of the T20 World Cup 2026. Can the Netherlands spring a surprise or will it be Pakistan who sends a strong signal to the rest of the teams?

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Speaking to the broadcaster, Ramiz Raja, Pakistan captain Salman Agha said he made the decision to field based on the overhead and pitch conditions.

“We would look to field first. If there's any moisture, we want to use that. We are playing three seamers. They are a very good side. We want to execute our plans,” said Agha.

On the other hand, the Netherlands captain Scott Edwards said he doesn't mind batting first. “We would have bowled first as well, but happy to bat first. You have four matches and you got to win three. We've been in India and Sri Lanka for the last month and a half now. Plenty of all-rounders, plenty of options for bowling and batting,” he added.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Here are the full playing XIs of both teams:

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha(c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan(w), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed

Netherlands: Michael Levitt, Max ODowd, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards(w/c), Zach Lion Cachet, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Kyle Klein, Paul van Meekeren

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and opted to bowl on a “fresh grassy pitch.” There was some drama at the toss as both captains had a good look at the coin. On the other hand, the broadcaster Ramiz Raja described the track as “a good batting surface”. It is important to state that the pitch being used for the match is completely fresh and there is a good covering of grass, which can help the bowlers early on.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: As we are just minutes away from the first coin flip of the tournament, let's remind you about the two squads at disposal in the morning game of the T20 World Cup:

Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq.

Netherlands: Scott Edwards, Colin Ackermann, Noah Croes, Bas de Leede, Aryan Dutt, Fred Klaassen, Kyle Klein, Michael Levitt, Zach Lion-Cachet, Max O'Dowd, Logan van Beek, Timm van der Gugten, Roelof van der Merwe, Paul van Meekeren, Saqib Zulfiqar.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: The toss for the opening match of the T20 World Cup 2026 will take place at 10:30 AM IST. The first ball is scheduled for 11 AM. We are just minutes away from the start of the 20-team tournament. The event promises to be a cracker and trust Pakistan to give the competition a flying start, either way. Who can forget Pakistan going down against the USA in the last edition? The Dutch have the potential of shocking the world if they play to potential.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: The Netherlands didn’t just qualify for this World Cup — they built a clear blueprint in the Europe Regional Final in The Hague, and a few names kept showing up when it mattered. Max O’Dowd was the volume engine at the top, piling up runs across the week and giving the Dutch predictable starts. Scott Edwards, as captain, stitched the innings together and kept the chase maths calm.

The clincher against Italy had an old pro stamp: Roelof van der Merwe delivered a match-winning performance when qualification was on the line. And around them, the Netherlands’ tournament identity stayed intact — a top order that can set a base, plus bowlers like Logan van Beek and Paul van Meekeren who bring discipline with burst wickets.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Pakistan’s build-up to this World Cup has been loud — and it’s because they demolished Australia in a 3-0 T20I sweep in Lahore right before flying out. The statement win was the finale: Australia’s worst-ever T20I defeat by runs, a 111-run hammering that underlined how ruthless Pakistan looked when the ball started gripping, and the middle overs became a squeeze.

It wasn’t just one freak night either. Pakistan dominated the series with a template that travels: powerplay intent, spin choke in the middle, and wickets falling in clusters. Momentum is real — but the World Cup now asks the harder question: can they stay clinical when it matters the most?

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: The Netherlands have arrived in this T20 World Cup the hard way — through the Europe Regional Final in The Hague (July 2025), not via rankings or a free pass. They entered a five-team qualifier featuring Scotland, Italy, Jersey and Guernsey, where only the top two made it. The Dutch did what good qualifying teams do: kept it simple, topped the table, and then slammed the door in the key fixture — a nine-wicket win over Italy on the final day that sealed their ticket. Italy still went through alongside them, but the Netherlands’ message was clear: they didn’t just qualify — they controlled the qualification round.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: The Netherlands have a reputation in this format for ruining big teams’ plans — and they’ve done it on the biggest stage. In the 2009 T20 World Cup opener at Lord’s, they beat England off the last ball. Five years later in 2014, they embarrassed England again, this time by 45 runs. Then came the result that made the world sit up: at the 2022 T20 World Cup, the Netherlands beat South Africa by 13 runs in Adelaide — a defeat that effectively ended South Africa’s semi-final hopes.

They aren’t a “shock-only” side either: in 2022, they also won a Super 12 game against Zimbabwe, showing they can back up an upset with solid, methodical cricket.

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: When playing in Sri Lanka, one big threat is that of the rain. However, we are happy to report that there is minimal chances of heavy downpour at the venue. Just 10 per cent chance of rain on Saturday and we are likely to have a full contest at our disposal. As we speak, the sun is shining.