Pakistan (148/7) defeat Netherlands (147) by 3 wickets in a tense last-over thriller in the opening game of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026

[Nikhil_cric]

Netherlands' Top 7 are all right handers. Horrible lineup construction, especially against an attack that usually struggles to bowl to left handers.

 

[jamie smith fan]

What was the fun of selecting faheem now??

 

[Nikhil_cric]

What was the fun of selecting faheem now??

Middle overs cutters/hard lengths

 

[jamie smith fan]

Colin Ackerman is a county veteran .
He is gonna play well.

 

[CricVet]

Hasnt the rule changed?? the other player has to be back in field..no?

I am thinking about ut as well.

 

[Usman Chadda]

We should have batted first, it’s a really good pitch

 

[G0rmintAunty]

2 overs of Mirza were enough, very poor kapttancy by Agha so far

 

[light]

Playing Dhurandhar music in PAKvsNED game. Haha

Yeahh haha. I was lol'ing at that too

 

[Usman Chadda]

Despite the two wickets, great powerplay for Netherlands.

Anything north of 150 will put pressure on Pakistan.

 

[Asad T]

We should have batted first, it’s a really good pitch

A bit of a defensive mindset

considering how well spin worked last over, i wonder why salman is persisting with mirza

 

[CricVet]

Stupid bowling on this pitch. There is no swing. No need to bowl full.

 

[jamie smith fan]

This is how a experience of 200 fc matches looks like

 

[G0rmintAunty]

Netherlands' Top 7 are all right handers. Horrible lineup construction, especially against an attack that usually struggles to bowl to left handers.

All 15 players in their squad are right handers

 

[Human786]

decent start 50/2 in 6

 

[JattMaula]

All 15 players in their squad are right handers

Dutch have been drifting to right recently.

 

[Devadwal]

Despite the two wickets, great powerplay for Netherlands.

Anything north of 150 will put pressure on Pakistan.

Chill ,this is small and High scoring ground.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

All 15 players in their squad are right handers

Terrible squad. Understandable considering their shallow talent pool. But those right left combinations are crucial in a T20 lineup.

 

[Sherazkhalid]

2 good overs and one bad and back to square 1.

 

[RidiculousMan]

Mirza will get smashed in all phases against quality teams. These are not low Bangladesh pitches.

Better play Naseem instead.

 

[G0rmintAunty]

Dutch have been drifting to right recently.

Noice

 

[sweep_shot]

NED - 50/2 (6 overs).

 

[boomboomcheema]

Pakistani bowers giving away too many boundaries loosely, all these runs could accumulate to a target of 160-170 runs in the end might put the batsmen under pressure when they came into bat. Not a convincing start so far.

 

[CricVet]

All full balls have been belted. What brainless bowling. One was missed because the bat played a predetermined shot.

 

[RidiculousMan]

NED - 50/2 (6 overs).

They should get 150+ which will be tricky for Pakistan.

 

[sweep_shot]

Mirza will get smashed in all phases against quality teams. These are not low Bangladesh pitches.

Better play Naseem instead.

Mirza did well against South Africa too (in Pakistan).

He has good variations.

 

[Asad T]

Pakistani bowers giving away too many boundaries loosely, all these runs could accumulate to a target of 160-170 runs in the end might put the batsmen under pressure when they came into bat. Not a convincing start so far.

i think abrar-saim will come on now and hopefuly can restrict them to under 150

 

[Vikram1989]

If the pitch remains true, pak will get obliterated in super 8 by eng and nz.

 

[RidiculousMan]

Shadab full toss time

 

[CricVet]

They should get 150+ which will be tricky for Pakistan.

This is a belter. Pak should chase anything 180. But...you never know about Pakistan

 

[Azzurri]

Somehow I feel the same loser team is playing. The ones who lost us all the previous tournaments keep on coming. Be it Shaheen, nawaz or shadab

 

[Vikram1989]

I think pak have not wore any black arm bands for yesterday's victims.its strange.

 

[JattMaula]

Outfield is blazing fast. 200 is the par score here.

 

[G0rmintAunty]

They should get 150+ which will be tricky for Pakistan.

Apart from winning, main focus should be on NRR also. It has been our bane more often than not.

 

[Human786]

flat deck ... 170 par ?

 

[Devadwal]

Saim is my captain let's see if he performs or not today.

 

[Usman Chadda]

flat deck ... 170 par ?

It’s a 200+ deck

 

[Azzurri]

Why is Saim not bowling?

 

[Azzurri]

These bhatijas and susralias are useless

 

[JattMaula]

Netherlands batters are reading Abrar of the pitch. Recipe for disaster.

 

[G0rmintAunty]

Why is Saim not bowling?

Because this isn't a pointless bilateral

 

[Sachin fan]

Weird, no one is anchoring in Netherland's team

 

[boomboomcheema]

NL almost going at 9 rpo, terrible from Pakistan and no score is easy for Pakistan to chase, remember how they made a mess of a 120 odd target against Zimbabwe during the 2022 T20 WC.

 

[jamie smith fan]

Why is Saim not bowling?

Main bowlers should bowl first

 

[Human786]

65/3

 

[G0rmintAunty]

Chal nikallll

 

[jamie smith fan]

Bowled eemmm

 

[JattMaula]

Netherlands batters are reading Abrar of the pitch. Recipe for disaster.

and thats that.

 

[RidiculousMan]

Pakistan should've bowled Saim in the powerplay. These associate players aren't skilled against mystery spin.

 

[Zeshan547]

Good cutter!

Dawood gone!

That's more like it Abrar.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Yeah they are getting a decent total now, wrong decision at the toss.

 

[Sherazkhalid]

Nice nice nice

 

[jamie smith fan]

Both spinners have striked.

 

[hamzie]

gj harry puttar keep it going
want to see that celebration

 

[Human786]

65/3

The lady commentator is far better than Ramiz & Daqar btw .

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Inside edge onto stumps.

Oranje in trouble

 

[RidiculousMan]

Both spinners have striked.

Not the Parachute Shadab yet

 

[Usman Chadda]

Pakistan should've bowled Saim in the powerplay. These associate players aren't skilled against mystery spin.

They got carried away looking at the grass on the wicket, but hardly much happened

 

[Azzurri]

Abrar ul haq? Who’s this dud commentator

 

[Zeshan547]

Pakistan should've bowled Saim in the powerplay. These associate players aren't skilled against mystery spin.

Yeah very average captaincy so far by Agha g, Shaheen should have removed after 1st over and two overs were enough for Mirza. And Saim should have bowled atleast two.

 

[Hyder]

Main bowlers should bowl first

He is a main bowler. I trust him more than shaheen.

 

[CricVet]

Stupid fast bowling has damaged NRR. Shaheen needs to be eliminated until shows some maturity instead of showing off/setting up poses.

 

[hafizexpress]

Waqar on Ackerman wicket: "sharply comes back inside"

how does this guy keep getting these WC gigs

 

[Giroux28]

Abrar ul haq? Who’s this dud commentator

Wiki bhai

 

[JattMaula]

That is criminal fielding.

 

[Babeikh]

'Pakistan will be looking to keep picking up wickets and Netherlands will be looking to keep scoring runs'

Great insight Waqar. Thanks for that mate.

 

[RidiculousMan]

They got carried away looking at the grass on the wicket, but hardly much happened

It's a Flat wicket. Grass was an illusion

 

[hamzie]

Abrar ul haq? Who’s this dud commentator

waqar
i thought i surely misheard lol
hes so bad
doesnt even know his players name

 

[RidiculousMan]

That is criminal fielding.

Mirza is the weakest fielder.

 

[Zeshan547]

Mirza is one average fielder , it's isn't the first one nor the last from him.

 

[G0rmintAunty]

This Mirza is a crap fielder, can't just be good in one aspect any more.

 

[jamie smith fan]

170+ score looks on the cards

 

[BunnyRabbit]

Abrar ul Haq

 

[Babeikh]

waqar
i thought i surely misheard lol
hes so bad
doesnt even know his players name

I was about to post if I misheard that or not

 

[RidiculousMan]

Netherlands have no idea which way the ball is spinning against Abrar. They are swinging it eyes closed

 

[Usman Chadda]

Not great, Netherlands easily hovering around 8 RPO without much risk.

Ground fielding has been average.

 

[TeymurBlake]

What an ungodly time to be watching this game.

05:30 in the morning.

 

[Blackbradman]

Despite the two wickets, great powerplay for Netherlands.

Anything north of 150 will put pressure on Pakistan.

This is a 200 run pitch. Ayub will brutalize dutch bowling.

 

[G0rmintAunty]

Stupid fast bowling has damaged NRR. Shaheen needs to be eliminated until shows some maturity instead of showing off/setting up poses.

He will never show maturity or critical thinking, most of cricketers can't due to being uneducated mental midgets.

 

[Azzurri]

Shadab another loser who lost us the ODI World Cup. Only Saim and Abrar are proper players in this team

 

[Zeshan547]

This is a 200 run pitch. Ayub will brutalize dutch bowling.

Never be so sure of Pak batsman. So plz keep your hopes in check buddy.