Pakistan won by 3 wickets in the first match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Thursday at Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo, beating the Netherlands by 3 wickets with 3 balls left. Pakistan started out looking good in their chase of the modest total of 148 runs, but they collapsed to 114/7 at one point.
Faheem Ashraf came in at that point and scored an aggressive 29 not out from only 11 balls (including two fours and three sixes) that changed the course of the game and earned him the Player of the Match award. Faheem Ashraf‘s explosive stroke play, particularly at the end of the innings, saved Pakistan from a shocking upset and sparked everyone up for the tournament.
Faheem Ashraf’s Scoring Areas
Faheem Ashraf produced a powerful batting exhibition under pressure. Batting at the back of the innings at No. 8, he was not long for the crease before the team needed quick runs. He took an aggressive approach towards the leg-side/mid-wicket area of the field. His best over was against Logan van Beek in the nineteenth over, where he hit three massive sixes and a four while hitting for 24 runs in that one over.
Faheem Ashraf hit the sixes at a great height and distance: an 89m six hit over mid-wicket on a slower delivery; a six hit over mid-off from a seam-up ball in the slot; and a six off a shovel shot to wide mid-wicket. He then finished the innings with a very boundary to deep cover off a high full-toss from Bas de Leede, when he hit the last ball of the match in the 19.3 over. Ashraf’s strike rate was over 263, relying heavily on excellent striking with well-placed shots to find gaps and capitalize on any loose deliveries.
Partnership
The fireworks that were created by Ashraf were bolstered also by the fact that both he and Shaheen Shah Afridi formed an unbroken partnership of 34 runs in 21 balls during the tense final stages of the match. Faheem Ashraf played the aggressor and Afridi rotated the strike with him while being a source of support.
Earlier in the match, O’Dowd missed a catch, which would have been a match-winning play for his team. O’Dowd’s dropped catch came from a full toss delivery from Faheem Ashraf and was certainly a turning point in the match because it allowed Ashraf to continue his attack on the field after he hit the shot. This brief partnership helped restore momentum for Pakistan after their middle-order collapse.
Faheem Ashraf vs Dutch Bowler’s
The Dutch bowlers were effective in building pressure during much of their chase, resulting in the collapse of the Pakistani batting order; going from 98/2 to 114/7 on the scoreboard. Logan van Beek was a focal point of threat with his use of variety deliveries like yorkers and slower balls that afflicted batters and threatened to win games.
However, during Logan’s 19th over, he was smashed for 24 runs as Faheem Ashraf targeted both Logans pace and length throughout that entire over. Bas de Leede tried to mix in slower bouncers and full tosses but ultimately gave up the winning run. Earlier in the match, Paul van Meekeren and Aryan Dutt (2 wickets) were able to both apply pressure on the batters and keep the game tight, putting doubt into the minds of Pakistani batsmen.
Unfortunately, a key dropped catch and bad execution in the death overs resulted in the lost of the match to Pakistan and underlined how just one over can change an entire T20 cricket match. Faheem Ashraf’s outstanding cameo for Pakistan not only gave them a much needed victory but proved the tenacity with which teams have to approach high-pressure chases as one of the reasons why T20 World Cups produce such sensational moments, even from the first ball of each World Cup.
Also Read:Â ICC T20 WC 2026: Faheem Ashraf’s Finishing Skills Takes Pakistan Over The Line In Tense Chase