Colombo – The Netherlands suffered a heartbreaking defeat in their T20 World Cup opener against Pakistan on , but captain Scott Edwards and veteran bowler Paul van Meekeren were quick to emphasize that the loss stemmed from their own errors rather than a superior performance from their opponents. Despite controlling large portions of the match, the Dutch ultimately succumbed to a late onslaught from Pakistan, falling short by three wickets.
“I want to be very clear. Pakistan didn’t win the game today. We lost the game against ourselves,” van Meekeren stated emphatically in the post-match press conference. His assessment was echoed by Edwards, who acknowledged the team’s disappointment but highlighted the positive aspects of their performance. “I’m very proud of the guys,” Edwards said. “I think we probably didn’t get the runs on the board that we wanted, but to fight back after a strong start from Pakistan with the bat it shows how the culture that we’ve created in the team and the never say die attitude.”
The match unfolded as a tale of missed opportunities for the Netherlands. After posting a total of 147, they appeared to have Pakistan firmly on the ropes. Pakistan’s chase began steadily, reaching 90 for 2 at the halfway mark, but a dramatic collapse saw them stumble to 114 for 7 in the 16th over. Van Meekeren’s bowling was instrumental in this period, claiming two crucial wickets and applying significant pressure. He finished with figures of 2 for 20, but lamented the inability to close out the game.
A pivotal moment arrived in the 19th over. Faheem Ashraf, having already been dropped by Max O’Dowd on seven, capitalized on the reprieve, launching a series of aggressive shots. “The one thing I have to give Pakistan credit for is taking the game deep,” van Meekeren conceded. “I mean we should have probably done it with the bat maybe, taking the innings a little bit deeper because you can see what you can do if you got a batsman who’s in – in the last two overs and be able to take a bit more risk.”
The dropped catch proved to be a turning point, shifting the momentum decisively in Pakistan’s favor. Ashraf’s subsequent onslaught, including three sixes and a four off Logan van Beek, brought Pakistan within striking distance. The match ultimately concluded with a boundary off the final ball, securing a narrow victory for Pakistan.
The Netherlands had earlier built their innings around contributions from O’Dowd (57) and Edwards (37), but a late-order collapse hampered their efforts to reach a more imposing total. After a solid powerplay of 50 for 2, they appeared poised to accelerate, but lost momentum as they limped to 147 all out. The loss of three wickets in quick succession during the middle overs stifled their scoring rate and left them short of their target.
Despite the setback, van Meekeren remained optimistic about the team’s prospects in the remainder of the tournament. “We’re very a close team so obviously there are a few guys who are actually really disappointed in the changing room, but we stand behind them, we back them all the way for the next game to turn it around – they don’t even need to turn it around, just to be the best they can be and win the next game for us against Namibia.”
The Netherlands’ next challenge comes against Namibia on , and van Meekeren emphasized the importance of learning from their mistakes and maintaining a positive mindset. “Tough to say,” he admitted when asked about the reasons for their late-game struggles. “But I think the conditions were very nice for us to bowl to and there was a lot of pressure on Pakistan in those last few overs and we just probably didn’t execute the way we wanted to and these World Cup moments – it’s small margins. Sometimes one ball, but it’s just a very disappointing feeling at the moment.”
Paul van Meekeren, appearing in his fifth T20 World Cup, is a veteran presence in the Dutch side and a key figure in their bowling attack. He has been the leading wicket-taker for the Netherlands in T20 World Cup history, with 23 wickets in 15 innings. His experience and leadership will be crucial as the team looks to bounce back from this opening defeat and make a mark on the tournament.
The Netherlands acknowledge Pakistan’s resilience in taking the game deep, but believe they should have capitalized on pressure moments. The loss serves as a harsh lesson in the unforgiving nature of international cricket, where small margins can separate victory from defeat. The Dutch will need to regroup quickly and demonstrate their ability to execute under pressure if they are to progress further in the tournament.
