Pakistan vs Netherlands Live ICC T20 World Cup 2026: PAK in must-win territory after India boycott; Babar dispensable

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Pak vs Ned Live Cricket Score, T20 World Cup 2026: Pakistan are in must-win territory after making the call to boycott the India game. Babar Azam can be dropped if he doesn't fit into the team combination.

5 Mins agoPAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Key players for the Dutch

15 Mins agoPAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Pakistan's build-up for the tournament

23 Mins agoPAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Netherlands' road to the T20 World Cup

37 Mins agoPAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Can Netherlands force an upset?

46 Mins agoPAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Rain unlikely to play spoilsport

50 Mins agoPAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Haris Rauf not a part of the squad

55 Mins agoPAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Salman Agha says Pakistan can drop Babar and Fakhar Zaman

1 Hr 2 Mins agoThe Babar Azam conundrum

1 Hr 13 Mins agoPAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Pakistan's record in T20 World Cup

1 Hr 26 Mins agoPAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Decision to boycott India game might just bite Pakistan

1 Hr 40 Mins agoPAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Pakistan have been here before

1 Hr 52 Mins agoPAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Head-to-head record between the two teams

2:36 AM IST, Feb 7PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Pakistan cannot afford a slip up

2:30 AM IST, Feb 7Hello and welcome!

Pak vs Ned Live Cricket Score, T20 World Cup: The T20 World Cup officially begins. The opening match of the tournament will see 2009 champions Pakistan take on the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. The contest carries even more weight for Pakistan, given that they cannot afford to drop points. Pakistan are unlikely to play India on February 15 after the government issued an order; hence, they cannot afford any slip-up if they are to progress to the Super 8s stage. Pakistan have been in some solid form of late, winning the three-match T20I series against Australia on home soil 3-0....Read More

Speaking of the Netherlands, everyone remembers how they stunned England twice in the 2009 and 2014 editions, and they will once again try to emerge as a giant slayer, spoiling Pakistan's party. However, Pakistan will start as the clear-cut favourites. When playing in Sri Lanka, the threat of rain is always there, and there is a forecast for light drizzle on Saturday, so it will be seen whether rain plays the spoilsport.

The T20 World Cup opening match will be telecast live on the Star Sports Network, JioHotstar app, and website. The toss will take place at 10:30 AM IST, and the first ball will be bowled at 11 AM.

Squads:

Netherlands: Scott Edwards (captain), Colin Ackermann, Noah Croes, Bas de Leede, Aryan Dutt, Fred Klaassen, Kyle Klein, Michael Levitt, Zach Lion-Cachet, Max O'Dowd, Logan van Beek, Timm van der Gugten, Roelof van der Merwe, Paul van Meekeren, Saqib Zulfiqar

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

Follow all the updates here:

Feb 07, 2026 10:03:59 AM IST

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Key players for the Dutch

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: The Netherlands didn’t just qualify for this World Cup — they built a clear blueprint in the Europe Regional Final in The Hague, and a few names kept showing up when it mattered. Max O’Dowd was the volume engine at the top, piling up runs across the week and giving the Dutch predictable starts. Scott Edwards, as captain, stitched the innings together and kept the chase maths calm.

The clincher against Italy had an old pro stamp: Roelof van der Merwe delivered a match-winning performance when qualification was on the line. And around them, the Netherlands’ tournament identity stayed intact — a top order that can set a base, plus bowlers like Logan van Beek and Paul van Meekeren who bring discipline with burst wickets.

Feb 07, 2026 9:53:57 AM IST

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Pakistan's build-up for the tournament

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Pakistan’s build-up to this World Cup has been loud — and it’s because they demolished Australia in a 3-0 T20I sweep in Lahore right before flying out. The statement win was the finale: Australia’s worst-ever T20I defeat by runs, a 111-run hammering that underlined how ruthless Pakistan looked when the ball started gripping, and the middle overs became a squeeze.

It wasn’t just one freak night either. Pakistan dominated the series with a template that travels: powerplay intent, spin choke in the middle, and wickets falling in clusters. Momentum is real — but the World Cup now asks the harder question: can they stay clinical when it matters the most?

Feb 07, 2026 9:45:08 AM IST

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Netherlands' road to the T20 World Cup

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: The Netherlands have arrived in this T20 World Cup the hard way — through the Europe Regional Final in The Hague (July 2025), not via rankings or a free pass. They entered a five-team qualifier featuring Scotland, Italy, Jersey and Guernsey, where only the top two made it. The Dutch did what good qualifying teams do: kept it simple, topped the table, and then slammed the door in the key fixture — a nine-wicket win over Italy on the final day that sealed their ticket. Italy still went through alongside them, but the Netherlands’ message was clear: they didn’t just qualify — they controlled the qualification round.

Feb 07, 2026 9:31:45 AM IST

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Can Netherlands force an upset?

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: The Netherlands have a reputation in this format for ruining big teams’ plans — and they’ve done it on the biggest stage. In the 2009 T20 World Cup opener at Lord’s, they beat England off the last ball. Five years later in 2014, they embarrassed England again, this time by 45 runs. Then came the result that made the world sit up: at the 2022 T20 World Cup, the Netherlands beat South Africa by 13 runs in Adelaide — a defeat that effectively ended South Africa’s semi-final hopes.

They aren’t a “shock-only” side either: in 2022, they also won a Super 12 game against Zimbabwe, showing they can back up an upset with solid, methodical cricket.

Feb 07, 2026 9:22:59 AM IST

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Rain unlikely to play spoilsport

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: When playing in Sri Lanka, one big threat is that of the rain. However, we are happy to report that there is minimal chances of heavy downpour at the venue. Just 10 per cent chance of rain on Saturday and we are likely to have a full contest at our disposal. As we speak, the sun is shining.

Feb 07, 2026 9:18:56 AM IST

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Haris Rauf not a part of the squad

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Pakistan’s selection story isn’t only about who’s back in — it’s also about who isn’t there. With Haris Rauf ruled out, Pakistan lose a pure pace enforcer, but the bigger takeaway is what it signals: this squad seems built for control, not chaos. In Colombo conditions, where the game can slow down, and overs 7–16 decide everything, Pakistan appear to be leaning towards bowlers who can hit lengths, change pace, and squeeze rather than just blast. It’s a “safer” template on paper — but it also means Pakistan must stay ruthless in the field and nail their match-ups early.

Feb 07, 2026 9:13:37 AM IST

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Salman Agha says Pakistan can drop Babar and Fakhar Zaman

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: On the eve of the game, Pakistan captain Salman Agha made a bold remark, saying the team would not hesitate in dropping Babar Azam or Fakhar Zaman if they don't fit into the combination properly. Quite a remark to make.

Feb 07, 2026 9:06:25 AM IST

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: The Babar Azam conundrum

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Babar Azam’s late recall has quietly become one of Pakistan’s biggest pre-tournament storylines. He wasn’t in the original plan, then suddenly came back into the 15 just days before the opener — a move that screams “experience over experimentation” after Pakistan’s recent ICC stumbles. It also reshapes the dressing-room dynamic under a new captain in Salman Ali Agha: the group is being sold as “best XI, not reputations,” yet Babar’s return shows reputations still matter when the pressure is real. On paper, it steadies Pakistan’s top order and gives them a bankable presence in the powerplay. But it also raises a simple question for the first game: are Pakistan building a bold new template — or running back to the safest old one because the World Cup starts today?

Feb 07, 2026 8:55:08 AM IST

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Pakistan's record in T20 World Cup

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Pakistan’s T20 World Cup record is still one of the tournament’s most loaded storylines: they’ve played 51 matches, winning 30 and losing 19, with two tied games decided later by tiebreaks. They’ve featured in every edition since 2007 and remain one of only a handful of teams to reach multiple finals. Their peak came in 2009, when they won the title, and they’ve finished runners-up twice — 2007 and 2022. Add three semi-final runs (2010, 2012, 2021), and it’s a CV that screams pedigree — but also explains why expectations spike the moment Pakistan walk out.

Feb 07, 2026 8:42:56 AM IST

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Decision to boycott India game might just bite Pakistan

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Pakistan’s decision to boycott the India game turns Group A into a tightrope. In point terms, it’s not just “dropping a fixture” — it’s effectively giving away two points. Per ICC playing conditions, the forfeit also dents net run-rate because Pakistan’s full 20-over quota is counted in their NRR maths without any runs scored being added, while the team awarded the match doesn’t take an NRR hit.

Now, another layer is Colombo’s rain threat — the forecast window for scattered showers/thunderstorms later in the week raises the odds of a shortened match or even a no-result. In a five-team group where only two go through, Pakistan can’t afford a washed-out point split and a slip-up. One bad result, one rain-tilted chase, and the “three matches left” path becomes instant must-win territory.

Feb 07, 2026 8:28:57 AM IST

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Pakistan have been here before

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: World Cups have a way of punishing Pakistan the moment they treat an underdog like a formality. The freshest scar is Dallas 2024, when Pakistan were dragged to a Super Over by the USA after 159-all and lost a game that instantly turned their group into a panic room.

Two years earlier, at the 2022 T20 World Cup, they slipped again — Zimbabwe won by one run in Perth, defending 130 and leaving Pakistan at 129/8 in a chase that should never have gone that deep.

And ODI World Cups have their own reminders: Bangladesh beat Pakistan by 62 runs in Northampton in 1999, and Ireland knocked them out in 2007, winning by three wickets (D/L) in Kingston. That’s why the Netherlands isn’t “easy points” — it’s a focus test.

Feb 07, 2026 8:16:54 AM IST

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Head-to-head record between the two teams

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: The head-to-head is tiny but clean — and that’s exactly why this is a dangerous kind of opener. They’ve played two T20Is, both at T20 World Cups, and Pakistan have won both. The first was a demolition at Lord’s in 2009 (Pakistan by 82 runs). The second came in Perth in 2022, when the Netherlands were strangled to 91/9, and Pakistan chased 95/4 in 13.5 overs.

There’s been no bilateral T20I meeting between the sides yet — every time they’ve met, it’s been on a World Cup stage. For Pakistan, the job is simple: start sharp, deny hope early, and avoid gifting an underdog a story.

Feb 07, 2026 8:06:53 AM IST

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Pakistan cannot afford a slip up

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Pakistan cannot afford a slip up in the opening game of the tournament, considering they won't be playing the match against India on February 15. A loss against the Netherlands would act as a deterrent to Pakistan's hopes of progressing to the Super 8s. On the other hand, the Dutch will just look to enjoy themselves as they have enough experience of being party poopers, just ask England and South Africa.

Feb 07, 2026 8:00:30 AM IST

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Hello and welcome!

PAK vs NED, T20 World Cup Live Updates: Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the opening match of the World Cup between Pakistan and Netherlands. The first ball is scheduled for 11 AM with the toss set to take place at 10:30 AM. Stay tuned for more.

News cricket Pakistan vs Netherlands Live ICC T20 World Cup 2026: PAK in must-win territory after India boycott; Babar dispensable

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