Pakistan Women vs Netherlands Women, 26th Match, Group A, ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 - CommentaryPAKW vs NEDW, 26th Match, Group A, ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 - Commentary
Pakistan Women won by 37 runs
PAKW
126/6(20)
NEDW
89(18)
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
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Fatima Sana | Pakistan skipper: We needed a win and credit goes to the whole team the way they played today. [On the crucial partnership between Ayesha Zafar and Gull Feroza after losing an early wicket] Yeah, Ayesha Zafar is also a senior player, and she played a lot of time in the Pakistan team, and she knows how to take responsibility. And today she took it, and Gull Feroza batted, I think, what we needed in the last couple of matches. [On contributing with the ball despite missing out with the bat] I think as an all-rounder, I just prefer that whatever I do, it goes to the team. So I think it must be a good day for everyone. [On the way forward for Pakistan women’s cricket after ending the tournament with a win] Definitely we need to be better on the batting side. So we need to improve the batting lineup. And hopefully when we go back, we will discuss a lot of things, especially the batting side, because we need to improve more on the batting side.
Babette de Leede | Netherlands skipper: [On the Netherlands’ bowling performance in restricting Pakistan to 126/6] I think our bowlers were excellent today. I think to be able to restrict Pakistan to this score on this ground, I think was a really good effort from us. Unfortunately, we couldn’t quite get there after a good start. [On the positives the team can take from the tournament despite falling short in the run chase] I think playing against the best teams in the world is so crucial for us as a team to improve our cricket, to learn from this, to play games at this level, I think is so valuable for us. I think, yeah, this experience has been incredible. We take so much from it. And this is only just the beginning, hopefully, for Dutch cricket. [On her experience captaining the Netherlands against the world’s best teams] It was incredible. I think it was so special. This team, as you know, we’re not professional cricketers at all. So to be able to be here, play the way we have played, I think we can be really proud of ourselves.
Gull Feroza | Player of the Match: [On her Player of the Match performance] Firstly, it’s very important for me and my team. So I just played my game. [On her partnership with Ayesha Zafar and adapting to the conditions] I think the pitch was a little bit tricky. So we needed to score runs. We needed to stay on the pitch. So we just went and rotated the strike and just changed our plan because we lost a couple of wickets. And that’s why we rotated our strike, and on the bad balls, we punished the bad balls. So it was good for us. [On preparing mentally for the match] I think this win is very important for us as a team. So we just tried to win this match on a positive note and finish well. So that’s good for us. [On the support from the fans in Bristol] Thank you so much to everyone who came and supported us. Thank you, everyone.
13:26 Local Time, 12:26 GMT, 17:56 IST: Handshakes between the two teams who were battling it out for the second-last spot and it's Pakistan who have come out on top. Netherlands showed a lot of heart at their first-ever T20 World Cup but couldn't get over the line. They had some good support from the crowd today. A lot of Dutch fans made their way into the stands here in Bristol and the players head over and show their appreciation. It was such a good opportunity for them after restricting the opposition to just 126 with their bowlers doing a good job. But they just found it incredibly hard to force the pace against the Pakistan spinners who bowled beautifully and took the pace right off. Ayesha Zafar and Nashra Sandhu had figures of 4/21 in their six overs, while Tuba Hasan was economical as well. Together, they strangled the pair of Sterre Kalis and Babette de Leede and the innings unravelled from there. Stay tuned, we'll have the presentations shortly...
Over 18
89-10
0WW00W(0 runs)
Caroline de Lange
0 (3)
Hannah Landheer
0 (0)
Fatima Sana
3-1-12-3
Over Summary
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17.6
W
Fatima Sana to Caroline de Lange, out Bowled!! That's it! Pakistan bow out with a win and deny Netherlands the opportunity to open their account! The Dutch look absolutely heartbroken as they watch from the dugout. Such a big opportunity it was for them after restricting Pakistan to just 126, but they've ended up well short. It's the Pakistan captain who closes the game out. Short of length, de Lange looks to cut but it sneaks through and crashes into off. Caroline de Lange b Fatima Sana 0(3)
Fatima Sana to Caroline de Lange, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!
17.5
Fatima Sana to Caroline de Lange, no run, full toss straying down leg, de Lange looks to flick it away but is hit on the pad
17.4
Fatima Sana to Caroline de Lange, no run, keeps it full and straight, de Lange denies her the hattrick as she offers the full face in defence
Caroline de Lange, right handed bat, comes to the crease
17.3
W
Fatima Sana to Silver Siegers, out Bowled!! Off stump with the previous ball, middle stump with this one! Full and straight from the Pakistan captain, Siegers has a big swing, connects thin air and she's out of here. Fatima on a hattrick.. Silver Siegers b Fatima Sana 0(1)
Fatima Sana to Silver Siegers, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!
Silver Siegers, right handed bat, comes to the crease
17.2
W
Fatima Sana to Babette de Leede, out Bowled!! Cracking yorker to seal the fate of Babette de Leede and perhaps the fate of Netherlands as well. It's bang on off stump, de Leede fails to get anything on it and it crashes into the base of the stump. Babette de Leede b Fatima Sana 30(41) [4s-2]
Fatima Sana to Babette de Leede, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!
17.1
Fatima Sana to Babette de Leede, no run, angled in off a good length, de Leede steps across to scoop but fails to connect. It bounces over the stumps and goes through to the keeper
Fatima Sana [2.0-0-12-0] is back into the attack
Hannah Landheer, right handed bat, comes to the crease
Over 17
89-7
4W100W(5 runs)
Babette de Leede
30 (39)
Iris Zwilling
1 (1)
Ayesha Zafar
3-1-13-3
Over Summary
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16.6
W
Ayesha Zafar to Babette de Leede, out Iris Zwilling Run Out!! Unfortunate way to be dismissed. Loopy full toss, de Leede smashes it back and it hits the non-striker who is unable to get out of the way. The deflection takes it towards the bowler and it's too late for de Leede to back out of the single. She has committed too far and Zwilling has no option but to sacrifice herself. Iris Zwilling run out (Ayesha Zafar/Muneeba Ali) 1(1)
Ayesha Zafar to Babette de Leede, THATS OUT!! Run Out!!
