Pakistan has won the toss of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 opening match against the Netherlands on Saturday, February 7, at Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground in Colombo. Men in Green's captain, Salman Agha, decided to bowl first.
After winning the toss Pakistani captain said the team will use the moisture of the pitch surface as they look to field first in the inaugural game of the tournament against the Flying Dutchmen. Salman Agha said that they are playing with three seamers in today's match.
Netherlands captain Scott Edwards also wanted to choose to bowl first. He said, "we would have bowled first as well, but happy to bat first." He said the team have all-rounder and bowling and batting options.
Pakistan vs Netherlands Match Live Streaming Info
Match: Pakistan vs Netherlands, ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Date: Saturday, February 7, 2026
Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo
Toss Time: 10:30 AM IST
Time: 11:00 AM IST
Live streaming (online): JioHotstar app and website
Live score updates: International Cricket Council's (ICC) official website
Squads:
Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha(c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan(w), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed.
Netherlands: Michael Levitt, Max ODowd, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards(w/c), Zach Lion Cachet, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Kyle Klein, Paul van Meekeren.
The weather in the morning remained dry, meteorological data suggests a high probability of rain affecting the latter half of the fixture. Pakistan, led by Salman Ali Agha, won the toss and elected to bowl first under grey skies, looking to exploit any early moisture before the anticipated showers arrive.
Conditions in Colombo remained relatively stable during the early hours of Saturday, despite an 88% cloud cover that has shielded the ground from direct sunlight. Temperatures have held steady near 31°C, though a combination of 77% humidity and light winds has pushed the "RealFeel" temperature to approximately 36°C.
Also Read | T20 World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony: Live Streaming Details, Date, Time and Performers.
Winds from the southeast are currently blowing at 11 km/h, with occasional gusts reaching 32 km/h. While these conditions have allowed the match to commence on schedule, the heavy atmosphere is expected to offer significant swing for the opening bowlers.