Netherlands paceman Paul van Meekeren said his team lost the T20 World Cup match against Pakistan on Saturday because of a poor execution in the final overs rather than their opponents winning. The fast bowler insisted that the Netherlands were largely the better team but failed to finish it off clinically when it mattered.
Defeat also meant The Dutch missed a unique chance to potentially wreck Pakistan prematurely. In the post-match press conference, Van Meekeren made it clear that the result was the Netherlands losing against each other rather than Pakistan winning.
T20 World Cup PAK vs NED: Highlights | Complete scorecard
“We deserved to win that game and we should have potentially sent Pakistan home after today, so yes, it’s a shame, but it is what it is,” Van Meekeren said.
“I mean we’re a very tight team so obviously there’s a few guys who are really disappointed on the bench but we’re behind them, we’re backing them all the way to the next game to turn it around, they don’t even need to turn it around just to be at their best and win the next game for us against Namibia,” he added.
Van Meekeren himself played a key role in sparking Pakistan’s collapse, returning to figures of 2/20. His spell included the wicket of the dangerous Sahibzad Farhan on 47 and a golden duck for Usman Khan, putting Pakistan under unexpected pressure.
“I’m very proud of the boys. I think we probably didn’t get the runs we wanted on the board but to fight back after a strong start from Pakistan with the bat, it shows the culture we’ve created in the team and the never-give-up attitude,” he said.
“I want to be very clear, Pakistan didn’t win the match today; we lost the match against ourselves. We were the better team today, especially in the bowling department, and we deserved to win the match,” he added.
What happened in PAK vs NED?
Chasing 148, Pakistan were in complete control early on and reached 90/2 at the halfway stage with the chase well under way. The required speed was manageable and the batting unit seemed ready to go home.
However, the game took a dramatic turn as goals began to fall in quick succession. Pakistan slipped from 90/2 to 114/7 in 16.1 overs, suddenly needing 34 more runs and the Netherlands sensed an upset.
Just when defeat seemed inevitable, Faheem Ashraf produced the late attack drag Pakistan over the line. Pakistan eventually sealed the match with three wickets in a finish that seesawed wildly until the final moments.
How Pakistan escaped a potential knockout blow
The win was crucial especially for Pakistan with the wider context of their campaign. With the team reportedly threatening to boycott their February 15 match against India, a loss on Saturday would leave their qualification hopes hanging in the balance.
Had Pakistan gone down against the Netherlands, their chances of reaching the Super 8 stage would have taken a major hit. The combination of declining points, the possibility of dropping two points later and damage to their net speed could push them into another painful early exit.
Instead, Pakistan survived, but Van Meekeren and the Netherlands were left to rue a missed opportunity in a game they believed they deserved to win.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
February 8, 2026
