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Pakistan defeated the Netherlands by three wickets in the opening game of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026, finishing the chase with just three balls to spare.
While chasing a total of 148 runs, the Men in Green got off to a positive start, with Saim Ayub scoring 24 runs off 13 balls and Sahibzada Farhan making 47 off 31 balls.
Meanwhile, Babar Azam once again failed to deliver his best in a T20 World Cup, scoring only 15 runs off 18 balls, including one boundary, with a strike rate below 100.
The right-handed batter also recorded the lowest strike rate among players who have scored more than 500 runs in T20 World Cup history.
Over the past three years, the experienced batter has struggled to play impactful innings in T20Is, with his approach and intent often criticised by analysts.
Even after returning to the national team following a brief exclusion earlier this year, the former captain’s strike rate has remained below 115.
| Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50s | 100s | |
| In T20 World Cup | 18 | 564 | 35.25 | 110.37 | 5 | 0 |
| In T20 International | 140 | 4,520 | 39.30 | 128.15 | 3 | 39 |
However, Babar Azam is currently the leading run-scorer in the shortest format, amassing 4,520 runs, surpassing Indian batting greats Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Back to the match, all rounder Faheem Ashraf was awarded Player of the Match for his match winning 29 runs off 11 balls, including two boundaries and three maximums.
The Green Shirts will next face the United States in their second game of the marquee event on February 10 at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
