Faheem Ashraf A stunning late performance saved Pakistan from the brink, posting an unbeaten 29 off just 11 balls to register a dramatic three-wicket win over the Netherlands in the T20 World Cup opener on Saturday.Chasing 148 runs, Pakistan posted a brilliant performance of 2 for 90 in the middle of the over, but then suffered a dramatic collapse as they fell to 114 for 7 in 16.1 overs, still needing 34 runs. The Netherlands were riding high and the game seemed almost decided – until Achraf turned the game around.
Ashraf was bowled for seven by Max O’Dowd in the 19th over, costing the Netherlands dearly. Needing 29 runs in the last two overs, he had Logan van Beek hit 3 towering sixes and a four before sealing the score with a boundary in the penultimate over as Pakistan ended at 148 for 7 with 3 balls to spare.Off-field issues have dominated Pakistan’s World Cup preparations after the board decided to boycott the February 15 match against India, despite a recent 3-0 win over a weak Australia in the home T20I series. The Sinhala Sports Club Stadium hosted the T20I match for the first time since 2010 and the 2009 champions struggled but eventually found their way.Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with 47 off 31 balls and opener Saim Ayub scored 24 off 13 balls. However, senior batsman Babar Azam’s fluency was poor, with 15 off 18 balls, and skipper Salman Agha’s 12 off 8 balls.After 11 overs, Pakistan started from a comfortable 98 for 2 and quickly collapsed. Paul van Meekeren knocked out Farhan and Usman Khan with two strikes in the 12th round before Babar fell in the following round. In a stunning delivery, Pakistan conceded just 2 runs in 10 balls, lost 3 wickets, and ended up scoring just 5 runs, falling to 100 runs. Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan followed and tightened the noose further.Earlier, Holland showed promise after being sent to bat, scoring 50 for 2 at the end of the powerplay and 79 for 3 at mid-on. A 40-run duel between captain Scott Edwards (37 off 29) and Bas de Leede (30 off 25) put them on track for a bigger total.However, Pakistan’s bowlers expertly restored the score. Salman Mirza led the way with 3 for 24 while Mohammad Nawaz and Abrar Ahmed played crucial knocks in the middle. As wickets fell in clusters, the Netherlands fell from 105 for 3 to 129 for 7. Saim Ayub’s backspin then did the job, removing Logan van Beek and Zach Lion-Cachet in quick succession as the Netherlands were bowled out for 147 in 19.5 overs.In the end, Ashraf’s late blitz proved decisive and kept Pakistan from blushing in a game that was rife with fluctuations until the very end.
