Pakistan Escapes Defeat Against Netherlands; 19th Over Proves Turning Point in T20 World Cup Thriller

Colombo: Pakistan narrowly clinched victory against the Netherlands in their opening match of the T20 World Cup 2026, winning by three wickets in a nail-biting finish. The match seemed almost lost for Pakistan, but a dramatic 19th over turned the game in their favor. Needing 29 runs from the last two overs with seven wickets down, Pakistan pulled off a remarkable comeback to secure the win.

First Innings Recap
After winning the toss, Pakistan opted to field, a decision by captain Salman Ali Aga that proved crucial. The Netherlands, who had raced to 100 runs by the 12th over, collapsed under pressure from Pakistan’s spinners. At one point, it seemed the Dutch side would comfortably surpass 170 runs, but they were bowled out for 147 in 19.5 overs.

Dutch Collapse – From 127/4 to 147 All Out
The Netherlands started aggressively, with Michael Levit scoring 24 and captain Scott Edwards contributing 37 runs. However, the middle order succumbed to disciplined bowling from Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz, who tightened the screws. Abrar Ahmed’s key wickets, including those of Colin Ackermann and Scott Edwards, broke the backbone of the Dutch innings. Sam Ayub also played a decisive role, taking two wickets in a single over and shifting the momentum entirely toward Pakistan.

Pakistan’s win, achieved under immense pressure, sets a dramatic tone for their T20 World Cup campaign, showing resilience and composure in crunch moments.