'Pakistan didn't win the game...': Netherlands Paul van Meekeren's bold remark after narrow defeat in T20 World Cup clash

Netherlands pacer Paul van Meekeren didn’t mince words following his team’s heartbreaking defeat to Pakistan on Saturday, February 7. Reflecting on the opening clash of the T20 World Cup 2026, van Meekeren suggested that Pakistan didn't so much win the game as the Netherlands gave it away. He lamented that the Dutch side effectively handed the match to Salman Ali Agha’s men on a platter, failing to capitalize on a golden opportunity to secure an upset.

Paul van Meekeren's bold take after Netherlands lost to Pakistan

The game initially seemed to be slipping away from the Netherlands as Pakistan cruised to 90/2 at the halfway point while chasing a modest target of 148. However, the Dutch bowlers triggered a dramatic collapse, ripping through the middle order to leave Pakistan reeling at 114/7 by the 17th over. With 34 runs still required and only the tail remaining, the momentum had swung heavily in favor of the Netherlands, leaving Pakistan on the brink of an embarrassing defeat.

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Pakistan did not win, We lost the game against ourselves: Meekeren

The narrative shifted again when Faheem Ashraf, coming in at number eight, took advantage of a crucial lifeline. After being dropped when he was on just seven runs, Ashraf launched a blistering counter-attack, smashing an unbeaten 29 off a mere 11 balls. The defining moment came in the penultimate over, where he plundered three sixes and a four off Logan van Beek to bring the requirement down to a single digit. Ashraf eventually sealed the dramatic victory with a boundary in the final over, guiding Pakistan to 148/7 and leaving the Netherlands to rue their missed chances.

“I mean, I want to be very clear. Pakistan did not win the game today. We lost the game against ourselves. We just probably did not execute the way we wanted to. Yeah, you know, these World Cup moments, it’s small margins, sometimes one ball. But yeah, it is just a very disappointed feeling at the moment," Van Meekeren said in the post-match press conference.

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Meekeren noted that the Netherlands likely finished a few runs short of a truly competitive total, which could have guaranteed them the win. Despite the narrow margin and the eventual result, he is proud of the team's performance, highlighting their ability to push a major side like Pakistan to the very limit.

“I am very proud of the guys. I think we probably did not get the runs on the board that we wanted, but to fight back after a strong start from Pakistan with the bat shows the culture that we have created in the team and they never give up," Van Meekeren added.