T20 WC: Pakistan elect to field first against Netherlands in opener

by IANS |

Colombo, Feb 7 (IANS) Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first against the Netherlands in the opening game of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 here at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Saturday.

Pakistan’s depth and seasoned lineup give them the edge, but the Netherlands can’t be taken lightly. If the conditions swing their way, this contest could be far more competitive than what most predictions suggest.

Pakistan hold a 2–0 edge over the Netherlands in T20 World Cups, but both sides arrive with very different narratives. After a shock group-stage exit last time, Pakistan have overhauled their setup, moving away from familiar faces, reshuffling the batting order, and leaning heavily on a spin-dominant strategy that paid off in a 3–0 T20I sweep of Australia.

The Netherlands, making their seventh T20 World Cup appearance, have built a reputation as giant-killers, with memorable upsets against England and South Africa over the years. Despite limited recent match practice, demanding travel, and unfavourable conditions, they remain a side defined by resilience and competitive spirit.

Winning the toss, Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha said, “Fresh pitch, rain around. We want to use moisture. First time I've seen this much grass I've seen in SL. We're playing three pacers and all-rounders. The Netherlands are a good side; we want to execute our plans.”

Meanwhile, the Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards said, “It's a good-looking wicket. Would've bowled, don't mind batting. For us, it's a big game, so are the other three. We've been in India and SL for a month and a half, used to the conditions. Plenty of all-rounders and options for bowling and batting.”

Playing XIs:

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Salman Mirza

Netherlands: Michael Levitt, Max O'Dowd, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (c & wk), Zach Lion Cachet, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Kyle Klein, Paul van Meekeren