Faheem Ashraf's prayer answered: Pakistan star recalls Dutch wild ride in Colombo
Pakistan all-rounder Faheem Ashraf admitted he was holding his breath — every part of his body silently praying for a catch to go down—during the penultimate over of a tense but ultimately successful run chase against the Netherlands in their T20 World Cup opener on Saturday.
Pakistan's all-rounder Faheem Ashraf admitted that his entire body was praying for a catch to be dropped during the penultimate over of his side's nervy yet successful run chase against the Netherlands in their T20 World Cup opener on Saturday.
Needing 29 runs from the final two overs, Ashraf launched a stunning counterattack, smashing three sixes and a four off Logan van Beek before finishing the match with a boundary in the final over as Pakistan reached 148 for 7 in 19.3 overs.
The turning point came on the second ball of the 19th over when Max O’Dowd dropped Ashraf at long-on with the batter on seven, a miss that proved decisive. Had the chance been taken, Pakistan would have been eight down and still needing 23 off 10 balls.
“That feeling, I just said this outside, at that time it wasn’t only my tongue that was praying, but every part of my body was praying for that catch to be dropped,” the 32-year-old bowling all-rounder said at the post-match press conference.
Ashraf went on to emerge as Pakistan’s unlikely hero, hammering an unbeaten 29 off just 11 balls, including two fours and three sixes, to seal a dramatic three-wicket victory. He also shared an unbroken 34-run stand for the eighth wicket with Shaheen Afridi.
T20 World Cup PAK vs NED: Highlights | Full Scorecard
Pakistan’s chase had looked under control early, with the side cruising at 90 for 2 at the halfway mark. However, a dramatic collapse followed as wickets fell in a heap, leaving them reeling at 114 for 7 in 16.1 overs and staring at defeat. Walking in at No. 8, Ashraf, who had already been reprieved once, had other ideas.
Reflecting on the moment he struck the winning boundary, Ashraf spoke of the calm that followed the chaos.
“Like you said, after hitting the winning runs, and that too while representing Pakistan, you feel a sense of peace,” he said. “You feel that the team was in such a bad situation, but you still won. The most peaceful feeling is that you have won the first match of the World Cup and you scored the winning runs. There is nothing more satisfying than that.
“As for the collapse, in cricket there are ups and downs. Sometimes your top order doesn’t score, sometimes your middle order doesn’t score, and sometimes your lower order doesn’t score. It is very rare that all eleven players perform in a match. Not everyone performs in every game. Those who didn’t perform today, God willing, will perform in the next match.”
The T20 World Cup began with a heart-stopping finish as Pakistan secured, squandered, and ultimately reclaimed victory, fending off a spirited Netherlands fightback. The three-wicket win keeps Pakistan on course for qualification, even though just nine balls earlier, another painful early exit appeared inevitable.
Pakistan's all-rounder Faheem Ashraf admitted that his entire body was praying for a catch to be dropped during the penultimate over of his side's nervy yet successful run chase against the Netherlands in their T20 World Cup opener on Saturday.
Needing 29 runs from the final two overs, Ashraf launched a stunning counterattack, smashing three sixes and a four off Logan van Beek before finishing the match with a boundary in the final over as Pakistan reached 148 for 7 in 19.3 overs.
The turning point came on the second ball of the 19th over when Max O’Dowd dropped Ashraf at long-on with the batter on seven, a miss that proved decisive. Had the chance been taken, Pakistan would have been eight down and still needing 23 off 10 balls.
“That feeling, I just said this outside, at that time it wasn’t only my tongue that was praying, but every part of my body was praying for that catch to be dropped,” the 32-year-old bowling all-rounder said at the post-match press conference.
Ashraf went on to emerge as Pakistan’s unlikely hero, hammering an unbeaten 29 off just 11 balls, including two fours and three sixes, to seal a dramatic three-wicket victory. He also shared an unbroken 34-run stand for the eighth wicket with Shaheen Afridi.
T20 World Cup PAK vs NED: Highlights | Full Scorecard
Pakistan’s chase had looked under control early, with the side cruising at 90 for 2 at the halfway mark. However, a dramatic collapse followed as wickets fell in a heap, leaving them reeling at 114 for 7 in 16.1 overs and staring at defeat. Walking in at No. 8, Ashraf, who had already been reprieved once, had other ideas.
Reflecting on the moment he struck the winning boundary, Ashraf spoke of the calm that followed the chaos.
“Like you said, after hitting the winning runs, and that too while representing Pakistan, you feel a sense of peace,” he said. “You feel that the team was in such a bad situation, but you still won. The most peaceful feeling is that you have won the first match of the World Cup and you scored the winning runs. There is nothing more satisfying than that.
“As for the collapse, in cricket there are ups and downs. Sometimes your top order doesn’t score, sometimes your middle order doesn’t score, and sometimes your lower order doesn’t score. It is very rare that all eleven players perform in a match. Not everyone performs in every game. Those who didn’t perform today, God willing, will perform in the next match.”
The T20 World Cup began with a heart-stopping finish as Pakistan secured, squandered, and ultimately reclaimed victory, fending off a spirited Netherlands fightback. The three-wicket win keeps Pakistan on course for qualification, even though just nine balls earlier, another painful early exit appeared inevitable.