Pakistan vs Netherlands T20 World Cup HIGHLIGHTS: Dutch scare PAK but Faheem Ashraf steers Men in Green to 3-wicket win

What. A. Match. It veered wildly, tested every nerve and reminded us why T20 cricket refuses to follow scripts. Pakistan escape, the Netherlands agonisingly fall short, and the tournament is up and running in dramatic fashion. Plenty more to come - Scotland face West Indies next. Thanks for staying with us here at Financial Express Sports. Goodbye for now. Keep reading Finan

"We have to do it the hard way. Credit to Faheem. We tried well, knew they'd come hard. Held things really well. 147 we'd take on this pitch. Spinners have done well in the last six months. First ten overs we batted well, then the two wickets fell and pressure came in. We need to absorb better. Conditions - Not easy to start, once we get in it gets easier. Once a batter gets set, they need to finish the game, didn't do that today. Want to change that," Salman Agha after the match.

Faheem Ashraf bagged the Player of the Match recognition for his unbeaten 29* off 11 that helped them win.

"We have been playing this brand of cricket for this past year. Heart rates go up and down, it's happened so many times before, we're used to it. Shaheen and I were talking about saving wickets, knew we could take down whatever in one over. When the ball is in the air, you just want the ball to land. Our efforts is to finish games as early as possible. But you have to hold your nerves in these situations," Faheem said after receiving the award.

Pakistan somehow find a way through. It looked beyond them for long stretches, especially after the middle order collapse turned a comfortable position into a full-blown crisis. From cruising at 98 for 2, Pakistan suddenly found themselves gasping at 115 for 7, with the Netherlands sensing a famous win.

The Dutch will rue the missed opportunity. A few more runs with the bat could have completely shut the door, and their bowlers had done almost everything right through the middle overs. Paul van Meekeren and Roelof van der Merwe applied relentless pressure, tearing through Pakistan’s middle and lower order and dragging the game firmly in their favour.

Then came the turning point. One costly over, the 19th, changed the script entirely. Faheem Ashraf pounced on van Beek’s wayward lengths, swinging momentum back Pakistan’s way in a flash. What had looked like a near-certain Dutch victory suddenly slipped through their fingers, leaving them stunned at the finish and Pakistan celebrating an escape that, for a long time, felt impossible.

But that's life, that's cricket and that's why we all love this so much.

Ashraf smashes a full toss for FOUR and Pakistan win by 3 wickets in the last over.

24 runs off the 19th over. That should be the game for Pakistan. They need 5 runs in 6 balls.

Ashraf smashes a SIX over midwicket again. Now Pak need 9 off 7 and it's edge that goes for FOUR to deep third off the last ball.

It's a length ball and Faheem goes downtown for a straight SIX Over long off.

It's a match that has seen some brilliant catches but in a pressure situation in the 19th over O'Down has not only spilled it but even injured himself. He is going off the field, needs assistance in doing so. PA- 127/7 in 18.2 overs, need 21 runs in 10 balls.

Much needed SIX for Pakistan. It's Faheem Ashraf who smashes Logan Van Beek for a massive SIX over midwicket.

Brilliant change of pace and execution from Paul van Meekeren. Concedes just 4 runs. Pakistan now need 29 runs in 12 balls.

Pakistan now need 33 runs to win off 18 balls. Who would have thought Pakistan will find themselves in such a situation. The game was in their grip. But also credit to the Dutch. Required rate climbs to 11.

16.1 – WICKET! WICKET! THis game has taken an epic ride out of nowhere. Van Beek goes full and down the leg side, Shadab Khan looks to glance it fine but only feathers it through. The appeal is immediate and Shadab opts for the review, hoping he’s got away with it. Ultra-Edge, however, shows a faint but clear spike with bat close to ball,enough to seal his fate. Edwards does the rest behind the stumps and the Dutch celebrate another crucial breakthrough as Pakistan’s chase continues to unravel. PAK- 114/7 in 16.1 overs.

15.6- WICKET! Netherlands tighten the screws further. Klein rolls his fingers over a slower delivery from around the wicket, back of a length and angling in. Nawaz goes for the pull across the line but only manages a thick top edge that balloons straight up. The skipper Edwards settles under it and completes a simple catch. Klein pumps his fists as the Dutch surge forward- Pakistan are losing momentum at a critical phase in this match.

Wow! Pakistan were aiming for a big win, they looked set for one too but Pakistan doing just Pakistan things. Somehow they find themselves needing 37 runs from 30 balls. There is batting left no doubt but this game might go little too close for comfort in the Pakistani dugout.

Pakistan relying on ones and twos at the moment. But suddenly the equation has started to go tense. They need 41 runs from 36 balls. Required run rate of 6.83.

Paul van Meekeren may have injured himself. The physio is out and the players take a DRINKS break in the interim. But he is good to at least finish this over with 2 balls remaining.

At the end of 13 overs, Pakistan need 46 runs to win off 42 balls. Required run rate of RRR: 6.57. Shadab Khan and Nawaz out in the middle for Pakistan. Can they see the team home?

12.4 - WICKET! Pakistan are suddenly in a heap. Babar Azam, the man they would have banked on to steady the chase, throws it away. Van der Merwe floats one up invitingly outside off and Babar charges down, looking to clear the infield. He misjudges the flight, slices the lofted shot high towards long-off, and Kyle Klein moves across calmly to take the catch. In the space of a few deliveries, Pakistan have slid alarmingly from 98 for 2 to 100 for 5.

It's a double wicket maiden. How often do you see that in a T20I? Can this be the over which changes things for Netherlands?

11.3- WICKET! Trouble straight away as another breakthrough follows, putting Pakistan under immediate pressure. Usman Khan out for a duck, out bowled, only managing an edge onto his stumps. PAK- 98/4 in 11.3 overs.

11.1- OUT! Paul van Meekeren strikes immediately, and it’s a beauty in the deep from Roelof van der Merwe. The bowler bangs it in short outside off, tempting Farhan into the pull. He hops across but can’t control the bounce, skewing it high toward long-on. Van der Merwe covers plenty of ground to his right, slides in perfectly and holds on with soft hands. A sharp, momentum-boosting catch as Sahibzada Farhan departs for a well-made 47.

Farhan with a boundary again in that over even though Babar Azam is taking his time, he can afford to do that because of Farhan's boundaries at the other end. Another boundary of the 10th over off his bat, second over of Kyle Klein. PAK- 90/2 after 10 overs. Babar Azam- 8* off 12, Sahibzada Farhan- 45* off 27.

A couple of boundaries in that over, both from Sahibzada Farhan. One of the middle of the bat against, frst ball of the over from Paul van Meekeren before a top edge that flew over the keeper's head, also fetching FOUR. 11 runs coming off the 8th over. PAK- 76/2 after 8 overs.

Pakistan lost 2 wickets but the powerplay belonged to them. They scored 61 runs in 6 overs in a 148 chase.

It's all happening in Colombo. What an eventful over. First a flurry of boundaries. Sahibzada Farhan starting with a FOUR and SIX against Aryan Dutt. Then Salman Agha also managed to find a boundary before playing a cut shot straight to the man at cover point. Second wicket for Aryan Dutt. PAK- 53/2 in 4.5 overs.

Back-to-back boundaries off the bat of Salman Ali Agha. Driven on the rise by Salman Agha for a boundary and when the bowleer Kyle Klein shortens his length, he is up for the pull. Pakistan race to 38/1 after 4 overs. Salman Agha- 8* off 6, Sahibzada Farhan- 6* off 5.

Saim Ayub did manage to find a boundary again in the first half of the 3rd over before trying a no-look shot that only came off an edge with Van der Merwe managing to take an easy catch. PAK- - 27/1 in 2.4 overs. Dutt gets a wicket inside the powerplay.

Ayub is not allowing the Dutch to settle in. He smashes a hat-trick of boundaries against Logan van Beek. Over mid wicket, over point, the left-hander is looking in fine nick. PAK- 22/0 after 2 overs.

Saim Ayub with a massive SIX! What a shot. Over long on against Aryan Dutt. Good hit from Ayub in the first over and Pakistan are up and running in style. They get 9 runs off the first over. Saim Ayub- 8* off 5, Sahibzada Farhan- 1* off 1.