ICC T20 WC: Faheem Ashraf’s blitz seals Pakistan’s 3-wicket win over Netherlands
Chasing 148 for victory, Pakistan were 90 for 2 at the half-way mark, but lost wickets in piles and needed 34 more runs to post 114 for 7 in 16.1 overs.
Everything looked like Pakistan at that stage but Ashraf, who entered at number 8 and dropped to 7, had other plans.
Needing 29 runs in the last two overs, Ashraf hit three sixes and a four from Logan Van Beek and finished the match with a four in the final over as Pakistan reached 148 for 7 in 19.3 overs.
Max O’Dowd dropped Ashraf on seven off the second ball of the 19th over and perhaps that cost the match for the Dutch.
Despite defeating Australia 3-0 in their home T20I series, off-field issues dominated Pakistan’s build-up after the Board decided to boycott the crucial match against India here on February 15.
At the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, which hosted a T20I for the first time after 2010, 2009 champions Pakistan huffed and puffed to win the match with three balls remaining. Sahibzada Farhan top-scored with 47 off 31 balls while his opening partner Saim Ayub contributed 24 off 13 balls, but senior batsman Babar Azam struggled with an 18-ball 15 with just one boundary. Captain Salman Agha scored 12 from eight balls.
Pakistan were 2/90 ahead at half-time and looked set to wrap up the match quickly. But Paul van Meekeren’s two wicket bursts in the 12th over – removing Farhan and Usman Khan (0) – and Azam’s dismissal in the 13th put them on the back foot.
From 98 for 2 at the end of the 11th over, Pakistan moved to 100 for 5 in 12.4 overs, losing three wickets in 10 balls with the addition of just two runs. There was only one sub-par partnership of 45 runs between Farhan and Azam for the third wicket.
All hell broke loose after the 15th over, when they needed 37 runs from the last five overs. The Dutch tightened the screws when experienced Kyle Klein defeated Mohammad Nawaz by 6 points in the round of 16.
Needing 34 from the last four overs, pressure piled on Pakistan and Shadab Khan was immediately dismissed after the third umpire ruled against reviewing the batsman.
The Netherlands, who had been sent out to bat earlier, were bowled out for 147 in 19.5 overs in the later part of their innings after making a strong start.
The Dutchman took 14 from the sixth over with the help of three boundaries to reach 50 for 2 at the end of the powerplay. However, they eventually ended on 147 with Salman Mirza (3/24) returning the best figures among Pakistan bowlers.
The Netherlands were on a comfortable 79 for 3 in the first half and had hit 12 fours and a six by then.
A 40-run partnership for the fourth wicket between skipper Scott Edwards (37 from 29 balls) and single-run Bas de Leede (30 from 25 balls) gave the Dutch hope of at least crossing the 150-run mark.
The minnows reached the 100-run mark in 12.1 overs with seven wickets in hand.
But from there, the Dutch lost their way as the Pakistanis reduced their bowling tempo. From 105 for three in 12.3 overs, he fell to 129 for seven in 16.4 overs.
De Leede’s dismissal off the bowling of Mohammad Nawaz in the 13th over pulled the Netherlands back as they stepped on the gas pedal.
Abrar Ahmed then delivered a blow to the Dutchman, putting Edwards away in the 16th round.
Right-arm spinner Saim Ayub removed both Logan van Beek (0) and Zach Lion-Cachet (9) with three balls in the 17th over, leaving the Dutch in disarray at 7 for 130.
