Faheem blitz sees Pakistan avoid Netherlands shock at T20 World Cup

AFP | Colombo

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Faheem Ashraf smashed an unbeaten 29 off 11 balls as Pakistan scrambled past the Netherlands by three wickets to avoid a massive shock in the curtain-raiser of the T20 World Cup in Colombo yesterday.

Pakistan were made to sweat as the Netherlands took a flurry of late wickets to leave them needing 29 off the last two overs with only three wickets in hand at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground.

Faheem then hit 24, including three sixes, off a 19th over that also saw him dropped in the deep by Max O’Dowd and then completed the chase with three balls to spare.

“We had to do it the hard way,” admitted Pakistan captain Salman Agha.

“We did well with the bat. We batted well earlier on but then in T20 cricket a few bad overs can change the complexion. All credit to Faheem,” he added.

“Happy with our bowling. We did a good job. A target of 148 we would take that any day on this kind of surface. It was a good bowling performance.”

Pakistan had begun well, racing to 61 for two after the sixover power play.

Sahibzada Farhan looked in prime touch, cracking 47 off 31, but his exit swung the pendulum the Dutch way. Right-arm quick Paul van Meekeren produced a double-wicket maiden to turn the screws.

When the unconvincing Babar Azam perished in the next over for a scratchy 15, Pakistan were in trouble having lost three wickets for two runs in the space of 10 deliveries.

With the chase wobbling, Faheem stitched a priceless unbroken 34-run stand for the eighth wicket with Shaheen Shah Afridi to see Pakistan home.