Pakistan all-rounder Faheem Ashraf admitted his whole body was praying for a catch to be dropped during a nerve-wracking but successful penultimate chase against the Netherlands in their T20 World Cup opener on Saturday.
Needing 29 runs from the last two overs, Ashraf launched a stunning counter-attack, smashing three sixes and a four off Logan van Beek before finishing the match with a boundary in the final over. Pakistan reached 148 for 7 in 19.3 overs.
The turning point came on the second ball of the 19th over when Max O’Dowd dropped Ashraf at long-on with the bat on seven, which proved decisive. Had the chance been taken, Pakistan would have trailed by eight and still needed 23 from 10 balls.
“The feeling, I just said it outside, at that moment not just my tongue was praying but every part of my body was praying for that catch to fall,” the 32-year-old bowling all-rounder said at the post-match press conference.
Ashraf became Pakistan’s unlikely hero as he smashed an unbeaten 29 off just 11 balls, including two fours and three sixes, to seal a dramatic three-wicket victory. He also shared an unbroken 34 run stand for the eighth wicket with Shaheen Afridi.
T20 World Cup PAK vs NED: Highlights | Complete scorecard
Pakistan’s chase soon seemed under control, the side cruising at 90 for 2 at the halfway mark. But a dramatic collapse followed as wickets piled up, leaving them reeling at 114 for 7 in 16.1 overs and staring at defeat. Ashraf, who had already been acquitted once when he walked into No. 8, had other ideas.
Reflecting on the moment he hit the winning line, Ashraf spoke of the calm that followed the chaos.
“Like you said, after scoring the winning points and also representing Pakistan, you have a sense of peace,” he said. “You feel the team was in such a bad situation but you still won. The most peaceful feeling is winning the first match at the World Cup and scoring the winning runs. There is nothing more satisfying than that.”
“When it comes to collapse, there are ups and downs in cricket. Sometimes your top order doesn’t score, sometimes your middle order doesn’t score and sometimes your lower order doesn’t score. It’s very rare that all eleven players perform in a match. Not everyone performs in every game. Those who didn’t perform today, God willing, perform in the next match.”
The T20 World Cup began with a heart-rending ending as Pakistan secured, squandered and eventually claimed victory, fending off a spirited Dutch battle. A three-wicket win keeps Pakistan on course for qualification, although with just nine balls to go another painful early exit looked inevitable.
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
February 7, 2026
