Pakistan began their T20 World Cup campaign with an impressive victory, defeating the Netherlands by three wickets in a thrilling opening match played in Colombo. Chasing a target of 148 runs, Pakistan showed composure under pressure, with Faheem Ashraf’s aggressive and timely batting playing a decisive role in securing the win.
Pakistan’s innings started with Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub, but Ayub was dismissed after scoring 24 runs. Captain Salman Ali Agha scored 12 runs before falling to Aryan Dutt, while Usman Khan was bowled for a duck. Sahibzada Farhan anchored the innings with a solid 46-run knock, whereas Babar Azam was unable to build a long stay at the crease and was dismissed early.
Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan added brief contributions but failed to convert their starts into significant scores. At a crucial stage, Faheem Ashraf took charge with confident stroke play, guiding Pakistan close to victory and helping the team reach the target in the final overs.
Earlier, for the Netherlands, Scott Edwards top-scored with 37 runs, followed by Bas de Leede with 30, Michael Levitt with 24, and Colin Ackermann with 20 runs. Pakistan’s bowlers staged a strong comeback in the closing overs, bowling out the Dutch side for 147 runs.
The victory provided Pakistan with a confident start to the T20 World Cup, boosting team morale and earning praise from fans for the overall performance.
