ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, Match 1: PAK vs NED, head-to-head, pitch report and predicted playing XIs
Pakistan take on the Netherlands in the opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 as both sides look to begin the tournament with a winning start.
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Pakistan and the Netherlands will get the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 underway when they face each other in Match 1 on Saturday, February 7, at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo. Both teams will be eager to start the tournament with a win and set the tone early.
Pakistan come into the World Cup in good form after a confident clean sweep against Australia in a recent three-match T20I series. Under the captaincy of Salman Ali Agha, the Men in Green are fully aware of the significance of each group match more so with points and net run rate holding huge importance. It is important to have a good start so they can gain momentum early on in the tournament.
The Netherlands, meanwhile, have struggled for consistency in T20 cricket in recent times. The Dutch side has not managed a win in their recent 20-over matches, including warm-up games. However, a World Cup opener presents a fresh opportunity, and they will be keen to surprise Pakistan and gain confidence early in the tournament.
PAK vs NED: Head-to-Head in T20Is
- Matches Played: 2
- Pakistan Won: 2
- Netherlands Won: 0
- Tied / No Result: 0
PAK vs NED: Pitch Report
The Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo will host a T20I match after a long gap. With renovations having been made and new floodlights put up, conditions are expected to be good. However, both teams will have to check the pitch before finalizing their strategies for the match.
See Also: ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026: IND vs USA Today Match Prediction – 3rd Match, Who Will Win Today?
PAK vs NED: Predicted Playing XIs
Pakistan (PAK):
Salman Ali Agha (c), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wk), Sahibzada Farhan, Khawaja Nafay, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz
Netherlands (NED):
Scott Edwards (c & wk), Max O'Dowd, Colin Ackermann, Noah Croes, Bas de Leede, Michael Levitt, Saqib Zulfiqar, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Fred Klaassen
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Gopi Marisetty
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