Pakistan Star batter Babar Azam produced a sensational catch on the boundary, with crucial support from Shaheen Shah Afridi, to dismiss in-form Dutch batter Michael Levitt in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 opener against the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Saturday.
The incredible moment came on the second delivery of Mohammad Nawaz’s first over.
Levitt attempted a shot that looked destined for a six, but Babar leapt to the boundary, intercepted the ball brilliantly, and threw it to Shaheen, who completed the catch.
Levitt had contributed a quickfire 24 off 15 balls, including three fours and a six, before his dismissal.
With a fiery start given by the openers, the Netherlands reached 100 in the 13th over, with skipper Scott Edwards hitting a six off Nawaz. But the spinner struck back, removing de Leede for 30 off 25 balls to make it 105-4. Abrar then claimed his second wicket, dismissing Edwards for 37 off 29 balls.
Saim Ayub tightened the screws in the next over, removing Logan van Beek for a first-ball duck and Zach Lion-Cachet for nine, reducing the Netherlands to 129-7.
However, despite a rather fiery start by the Netherlands, the Green Shirts’ bowlers managed to pull the reins in on the Dutch and bowled them out for 147 runs in 19.5 overs.
Salman Mirza led the Pakistani bowling attack, finishing with 3 wickets for 24 runs in 3.5 overs. Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, and Saim took two wickets each, while Shaheen contributed with one wicket.
Historically, Pakistan has faced the Netherlands twice in T20Is, winning both encounters, while the Flying Dutchmen are yet to register a victory.
