Bristol (GNP): Pakistan women closed their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on a high, defeating the Netherlands by 37 runs in their final group-stage fixture at Bristol County Ground. After being put in to bat, Pakistan set a total of 126 for six and then bowled the Dutch side out for 89 in 18 overs.
The innings was held together by opener Gull Feroza, who batted through the full 20 overs to finish unbeaten on 63 off 52 balls, hitting nine fours along the way. Her anchor role became essential early when Muneeba Ali Siddiqui was dismissed for 12 off 13 balls, caught by Iris Zwilling off Hannah Landheer, with the score at 15.
Gull and Ayesha Zafar then put on 79 for the second wicket, giving the innings its backbone. Ayesha contributed 32 off 29 balls with two fours and a six before holing out off Silver Siegers at 94 for two after 13.2 overs. Lower-order contributions from Saira Jabeen and Tuba Hassan were brief but each added a boundary as Gull anchored the total to 126 for six.
Netherlands’ most effective bowler was Zwilling, who claimed two wickets for 19 from her four overs.
In the chase, the Dutch struggled to build any meaningful partnerships, with only two batters reaching 20. Opener Heather Siegers set a brisk early tempo with 24 off 16 balls — five fours — before Diana Baig trapped her leg before wicket. Netherlands captain Babette de Leede was the top scorer with 30 off 41 balls, but she became the first of three victims in a devastating final-over spell.
The match turned decisively when Netherlands were 76 for three after 14 overs. Pakistan then tore through the remaining seven wickets for just 13 runs, triggering a collapse that sealed the result comfortably.
Ayesha Zafar was the key figure in the middle stages, bowling a double-wicket maiden in the 15th over, Robine Rijke (6 off 11) caught leg before, Sanya Khurana stumped, before adding a third wicket the following over, having Frederique Overdijk (6 off 6) caught by Saira Jabeen. She finished with three for 13. Phebe Molkenboer was run out by Eyman Fatima for 8, while Nashra Sundhu bowled Sterre Kalis for 12 as the innings crumbled further.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana delivered the coup de grâce with a triple-wicket maiden in the final over, yorking de Leede, clean-bowling Silver Siegers next ball, and then dismissing Caroline de Lange to end the match, three wickets in five balls, finishing with figures of 3-1-12-3. The spell pushed her tournament tally to 11 wickets.
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Scores in brief: Match 26 – Pakistan beat Netherlands by 37 runs | Bristol County Ground, Bristol Pakistan 126-6, 20 overs (Gull Feroza 63*, 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)
Pakistan’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 results:
- 14 June — India beat Pakistan by 64 runs
- 17 June — South Africa beat Pakistan by two wickets
- 20 June — Bangladesh beat Pakistan by 23 runs
- 23 June — Australia beat Pakistan by 113 runs
- 27 June — Pakistan beat Netherlands by 37 runs
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
