Pakistan women claimed their first win of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 by beating the Netherlands by 37 runs while defending 126 in their final group-stage at the Bristol County Ground on Saturday.
Batting first, Pakistan posted 126 for six, built around Gull Feroza’s unbeaten 63 off 52 balls, which featured nine fours. The opening batter held the innings together from first ball to last after Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (12, 13b, 2x4s) fell to Hannah Landheer, caught by Iris Zwilling, with 15 on the board.
Gull Feroza and Ayesha Zafar then added 79 for the second wicket. Ayesha made 32 off 29 balls, striking two fours and a six, before she was caught off Silver Siegers with the score 94 for two after 13.2 overs. Saira Jabeen and Tuba Hassan hit a boundary each in their single digit returns as Gull held the fort from one end with Pakistan posting 126-6 in 20 overs.
For Netherlands, Zwilling returned two for 19 from her four overs.
In reply, Pakistan’s bowlers kept the Dutch batters in check as just two of them crossed the 20-run mark. They were, bowled out for 89 in 18 overs as Pakistan closed their T20 World Cup campaign with a comprehensive victory.
Opening batter Heather Siegers made a brisk 24 off 16 balls, striking five fours before Diana Baig trapped her leg-before-wicket. Captain Babette de Leede, batting at no.3, top-scored with 30 off 41 balls before becoming the first victim of her opposite number’s triple strike in the 18th over.
Pakistan sparked a dramatic collapse after Netherlands were 76-3 in 14 overs, claiming the remaining seven wickets for just 13 runs.
Ayesha Zafar turned the match decisively with a double-wicket maiden in the 15th over, trapping Robine Rijke (6 off 11) leg-before-wicket, before Sanya Khurana was stumped later in the over. She added a third wicket in her next over by having Frederique Overdijk (6, 6b, 1×4) caught by Saira Jabeen to finish with figures of three for 13.
Phebe Molkenboer (8, 7b, 1×4) was the second Dutch wicket to fall as she was run out by Eyman Fatima, while Nashra Sundhu bowled the no.4 Sterre Kalis (12, 19b, 1×4) as the Dutch innings unravelled.
Pakistan captain Fatima wrapped up the innings in style with a triple-wicket maiden in the final over. She yorked de Leede, bowled Silver Siegers with the very next delivery and ended the match by clean bowling Caroline de Lange, taking three wickets in five balls as he figures read 3-1-12-3.
The spell took Fatima’s tournament tally to 11 wickets.
Scores in brief:
Match 26 – Pakistan beat Netherlands by 37 runs at Bristol County Ground, Bristol
Pakistan 126-6, 20 overs (Gull Feroza 63 not out, Ayesha Zafar 32; Iris Zwilling 2-19)
Netherlands 89 all out, 18 overs (Babette de Leede 30, Heather Siegers 24; Fatima Sana 3-12, Ayesha Zafar 3-13)
Player of the match: Gull Feroza (Pakistan women)
