The T20 World Cup 2026 starts today in Colombo, and Pakistan find themselves under pressure before the tournament has even settled in. Their opening game against the Netherlands is not just the first match of the competition but potentially the most important one Pakistan will play all group stage.
Seventeen years on from their last T20 World Cup title, Pakistan enter another global event with familiar questions around batting, balance and intent. This time, the situation is complicated further by an impending boycott of their match against India, effectively putting them two points behind and at a net run rate disadvantage from day one. There is no warm-up phase here. No room to experiment. Every game is a must-win.
The Netherlands, meanwhile, can play with freedom. They are used to this role where they are underestimated, written off, and occasionally springing surprises that reshape tournaments. Just ask South Africa of 2022.
Match Details: Pakistan vs Netherlands, T20 World Cup 2026
- Match: Pakistan vs Netherlands, Group Stage
- Date: Saturday, February 7, 2026
- Time: 11:00 AM local time (Toss at 10:30 AM)
- Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo
- Live Streaming: JioHotstar, Star Sports Network & more
Pitch Report & Conditions: Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo
The Sinhalese Sports Club Ground is something of an unknown at this level, having hosted only two T20Is, both more than 16 years ago. Ground staff believe the surface will be good for batting, especially early, with some assistance for seamers with the new ball.
Spin is expected to come into play, though not to the same extent as at the nearby Premadasa Stadium. Pakistan are likely to load their XI accordingly.
Weather remains the biggest concern. Heavy rain is forecast, with light showers expected during the afternoon. With this being a morning start, the famed Sri Lankan groundstaff will have their work cut out if a full game is to be completed.
Pakistan vs Netherlands: Team News & Key Players
Pakistan
Batting has often been Pakistan’s weak link in T20 cricket, but there are signs of momentum. Saim Ayub’s explosiveness at the top and Salman Agha’s improved tempo have given the lineup some bite. The spotlight, inevitably, will fall on Babar Azam. Pakistan are expected to lean heavily on spin, likely going in with just two specialist fast bowlers. Sahibzada Farhan, left out in the previous match, is expected to return.
Probable XI:
Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman/Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed
Netherlands
The Netherlands are no strangers to upsetting bigger teams, and their squad carries experience across formats. Scott Edwards leads a side built around all-round depth, with Bas de Leede and Colin Ackermann forming the core.
Probable XI:
Michael Levitt, Max O’Dowd, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (c, wk), Bas de Leede, Zach Lion-Cachet, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Kyle Klein, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren
Match Prediction: Who will win the opener?
Prediction: Pakistan to win
On paper, Pakistan have too much quality, particularly in spin, to lose this game. Even if there’s a shortened match, Pakistan can play aggressively, especially captain Salman Agha and Saim Ayub. Pakistan have quality spinners with them, and facing them won’t be easy for the Dutch.
Pakistan vs Netherlands live streaming details
| Country / Region | TV Broadcast | Live Streaming |
|---|---|---|
| India | Star Sports | JioHotstar |
| Sri Lanka | Dialog TV, TV Supreme, PEO TV | Dialog Play, ThePapare.com |
| Bangladesh | T Sports, Nagorik TV | Rabbithole |
| Pakistan | PTV, PTV Home | Tamasha, ARY Zapp, Tapmad |
| UK & Ireland | Sky Sports Cricket, Sky Sports Main Event | NOW |
| Australia | — | Prime Video |
| New Zealand | SKY Sport | SKY Sport digital |
| South Africa & Sub-Saharan Africa | SuperSport | SuperSport digital |
| USA & Canada | Willow TV | Willow TV, Willow DTC, CricBuzz DTC, YouTube (USA matches) |
| UAE & MENA | CricLife Max | StarzPlay |
| Caribbean | ESPN | — |
| Latin America | ESPN | Disney+ |
| Italy | Sky Italia | Sky Italia digital |
| Nepal | Kantipur TV | ICC.tv (selected matches) |
| Netherlands | — | NOS |
| Malaysia & Hong Kong | Astro Cricket, PCCW | CricBuzz |
| Pacific Islands (PNG) | Digicel | — |
| Afghanistan | Lemar TV | Lemar TV digital |
| Singapore | Hub Sports 4 | — |
| Global / Other Territories | — | ICC.tv |
| In-flight & in Sea | Sport 24 | Sport 24 |
