It is time for the T20 carnival to begin in India and Sri Lanka as the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 is ready to begin. The top 20 teams in the world will join the competition, and it will be a high-profile tournament. India won the previous edition under Rohit Sharma, and they will be defending their title. The opening game of the tournament will see Pakistan taking on the Netherlands.
This contest will be live from Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on February 7 (Saturday) at 11 AM IST. Under Salman Agha, Pakistan have shown a good display in the recent months. They recently thrashed Australia 3-0 at home, which was their first series win against this opposition since September 2018. The Men in Green have managed to form a spin-heavy attack, which is perfectly suited for the wickets in Colombo. Meanwhile, the Netherlands will be ready for this challenge. They have a few players who have done well recently and will fancy their chances.
PAK vs NED: Match Info.
- · Series: ICC T20 World Cup 2026
- · Match: Pakistan vs Netherlands, Match 1
- · Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo
- · Time: 11:00 AM IST
- · Date: February 07, 2026 (Saturday)
Pakistan vs Netherlands: Head-to-Head: PAK (2) – NED (0)
Pakistan and the Netherlands have locked horns twice before the upcoming contest on Saturday. The Men in Green have managed to win both games.
PAK vs NED: Pitch Report
Sinhalese Sports Club offers good bowling wickets. Traditionally, the wickets here are more in favor of spinners because of the slowness. The consistent rain in the last few days will impact the conditions, and there will be moisture early on for the seamers. Both teams will hope that the toss can end in their favor because bowling first can be an advantage.
PAK vs NED: Live Streaming Details
- · TV: Star Sports Network
- · Digital: Jio Hotstar (App or Website)
PAK vs NED: Weather Report
The weather forecast for Saturday in Colombo shows a 20 percent chance of light rain. It could be a worrying sign. The temperature is expected to be a maximum of 29°C, with a moderate wind speed of 18 kmph and 68 percent humidity.
PAK vs NED: Last Five Results
Netherland: W, W, L, L, NR
Pakistan: NR, L, W, W, W
Pakistan vs Netherland: Predicted XIs:
Pakistan: S. Farhan, S. Ayub, S. Agha (c), B. Azam, U. Khan (wk), S. Khan, Md. Nawaz, N. Shah, F. Ashraf, S. Shah Afridi, A. Ahmed
Netherland: M. Levitt, M. ODowd, Z. Lion Cachet, C. Ackermann, S. Edwards (c & wk), B. de Leede, N. Cross, R. van der Merwe, L. van Beek, A. Dutt, K. Klein
PAK vs NED: Players to Watch out for
Netherland: Bas de Leede is an unrated all-rounder. He bats in the top order and plays freely. With the ball, he gives economical four overs of pace bowling.
Pakistan: Saim Ayub made a good impact in the recent series against Australia. He scores quick runs with the bat and also gives a couple of early wickets. That makes him a key player for this team.
Pakistan vs Netherland Today’s Match Prediction: On paper, Pakistan are better suited for these conditions in Colombo. They have an excellent pace unit with good new-ball bowlers in Shaheen and Naseem. Then, the main difference between the two teams is the spin unit. Netherlands have Aryan Dutt and Van der Merwe, who are very good T20 spinners.
But they are defensive and can’t always take wickets. Meanwhile, Pakistan have Abrar Ahmed, Uman Tariq, Shadab Khan, and Saim, who are all wicket-takers. The rain will be a big challenge, because if the game gets short, it will become more even. But Pakistan are expected to win this game in Colombo.
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