Faheem Ashraf Turns Disaster into Delight for Pakistan
News Desk
Islamabad: Pakistan survived a dramatic late scare to edge past a spirited Netherlands side in a nerve-shredding opener of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club Ground on Saturday, thanks to a breathtaking late assault from Faheem Ashraf.
Chasing a modest-looking target of 148, the Green Shirts found themselves staring at an unlikely defeat after a stunning middle-order collapse turned a comfortable chase into chaos.
Needing 29 runs from the final two overs and seven wickets down, Pakistan’s hopes rested on No. 8 batter Faheem — and he delivered in spectacular fashion.
Facing Logan van Beek in the penultimate over, Faheem launched a fearless counterattack, hammering three sixes and a four to plunder 22 runs and flip the match on its head.
With four needed off the final over, the left-hander calmly sealed victory with a boundary, finishing unbeaten on 29 off just 11 balls as Pakistan crossed the line with three deliveries to spare.
Earlier, Pakistan had surged out of the blocks with opener Saim Ayub blazing 24 off 13 balls, including four boundaries and a six. Although he fell in the third over, skipper Salman Ali Agha and Sahibzada Farhan kept the tempo high, racing past 50 inside five overs.
Farhan looked in sublime touch, scoring 47 off 29 balls, and alongside Babar Azam, took Pakistan to a commanding 98-2 in the 11th over. What followed, however, was a remarkable Dutch fightback.
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Paul van Meekeren sparked the collapse with a double-wicket maiden in the 12th over, removing Farhan and Usman Khan in successive deliveries. Roelof van der Merwe then dismissed Babar Azam for 15, and quick wickets to Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan reduced Pakistan to a precarious 114-7 — setting the stage for Faheem’s heroics.
Earlier in the match, Pakistan’s bowlers had done well to rein in a promising Netherlands innings. Asked to bat first, the Dutch made a confident start, racing to 28 without loss as Michael Levitt attacked from ball one.
Pakistan struck when Salman Mirza dismissed Max O’Dowd, and soon after, Levitt was sent back following a sensational relay effort involving Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi at the boundary. Bas de Leede and Colin Ackermann rebuilt briefly, but Pakistan’s spinners steadily clawed their way back.
Abrar Ahmed removed Ackermann and later skipper Scott Edwards, while Mohammad Nawaz accounted for de Leede to halt the Dutch momentum.
Saim Ayub chipped in with two quick wickets, and the innings folded for 147 in 19.5 overs.
Salman Mirza led the bowling attack with an impressive 3 for 24, while Nawaz, Abrar and Ayub claimed two wickets apiece.
In the end, what seemed a routine chase turned into a heart-stopping thriller — and Pakistan’s campaign began with a reminder of cricket’s unpredictability, and the value of calm nerves under pressure.
