07 Feb, 11:44 (IST)

OUT! Netherlands three down now. Abrar Ahmed takes a wicket as he accounts for Colin Ackermann. The batter was looking to play it towards the on-side but ends up getting an inside edge and onto the stumps it goes. Ackermann b Abrar Ahmed 20(14)

07 Feb, 11:36 (IST)

End of Powerplay overs and despite losing two wickets, Netherlands have done well to keep their run rate floating at a good pace. Meanwhile, Bas de Leede and Colin Ackermann will look to build a partnership from here.

07 Feb, 11:27 (IST)

OUT! Mohammad Nawaz into the attack and he strikes straightaway. But all because of effort by Babar Azam as he pushes the ball back into the play before Shaheen Afridi completes the relay catch. Michael Levitt tries to go down the ground but finds Babar running to his right from long-on who then threw ball back towards Shaheen Afridi. Michael Levitt c Shaheen Afridi b Mohammad Nawaz 24(15)

07 Feb, 11:18 (IST)

OUT! First breakthrough for Pakistan and Salman Mirza opens his account as well. Max ODowd gets a top edge and it goes high up in the air. Wicketkeeper Usman Khan had to run towards square-led with other fielders converging as well. But he held onto it safely. Max ODowd c Usman Khan b Salman Mirza 5(7) 

07 Feb, 11:08 (IST)

Michael Levitt and Max ODowd are at the Netherlands openers. Nine runs from Shaheen Afridi's first over as Michael Levitt smashed him for a boundary on the very first ball of the tournament. Salman Mirza with the second over and he conceded runs.

07 Feb, 10:57 (IST)

So, we are done with National Anthems of both the teams. And the action in the T20 World Cup 2026 is about to begin. Pakistan players have taken their respective field positions and out come the Netherlands opening duo. 

07 Feb, 10:43 (IST)

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

07 Feb, 10:39 (IST)

Netherlands Playing XI: Michael Levitt, Max ODowd, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards(w/c), Zach Lion Cachet, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Kyle Klein, Paul van Meekeren.

07 Feb, 10:37 (IST)

TOSS: Pakistan have won the toss and opted to bowl first.

07 Feb, 10:24 (IST)

Hello, and welcome to our live coverage of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 opening match. It is former champions Pakistan who lock horns with Netherlands. Stay tuned for toss and playing XI updates.

Pakistan National Cricket Team vs Netherlands National Cricket Team Live Score Updates: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 officially gets underway today, 7 February, with Pakistan taking on the Netherlands in the tournament opener. The PAK vs NED Scorecard is available here. For the "Men in Green," the Group A fixture at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo is more than just a curtain-raiser; it is a critical hurdle in a campaign already complicated by off-field developments. Pakistan vs Netherlands Live Streaming Online and Free Telecast, T20 World Cup 2026 Match 1.

Under the leadership of Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan enters the tournament in a virtual "must-win" scenario for every group game. Following a government-directed decision to boycott their scheduled fixture against India on 15 February, Pakistan must secure maximum points from their remaining matches against the Netherlands, USA, and Namibia to stand a chance of qualifying for the Super 8 stage.

The toss is scheduled for 10:30 AM IST, with the match following at 11:00 AM IST. Early reports from the SSC Ground, hosting its first T20 International in 16 years, suggest a surface that will assist spinners as the game progresses. However, with the morning start, pace bowlers may find initial swing if the heavy cloud cover currently over Colombo persists.

PAK vs NED Match Facts

Match Detail Information
Fixture Pakistan vs Netherlands, Match 1
Venue Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), Colombo
Toss Time 10:30 AM IST
Start Time 11:00 AM IST
Group Group A (India, Pakistan, USA, Ireland, Netherlands)

The primary talking point ahead of the first ball is the weather. Meteorological reports indicate a 68% chance of rain in Colombo today, with thunderstorms predicted for the early afternoon. ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Full Schedule, Free PDF Download Online.

Should the match be washed out, both teams would receive one point. For Pakistan, a washout would be nearly as damaging as a defeat, given they are essentially starting the tournament with a zero-point deficit from the forfeited India game. A minimum of five overs per side is required to constitute a result.

Netherlands National Cricket Team Squad

Michael Levitt, Max ODowd, Bas de Leede, Zach Lion Cachet, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards(w/c), Noah Croes, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Kyle Klein, Paul van Meekeren, Timm van der Gugten, Saqib Zulfiqar, Fred Klaassen.

Pakistan National Cricket Team Squad

Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Salman Agha(c), Khawaja Nafay(w), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Sahibzada Farhan, Usman Khan, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq.