COLOMBO: Former Pakistan cricketers and fans alike have lauded all-rounder Faheem Ashraf for a late, match-winning cameo that steered Pakistan national cricket team to victory over the Netherlands national cricket team in their opening ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 fixture at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground on Saturday.
Chasing 148, Pakistan were made to sweat in a tense run chase before Faheem’s blistering 29 off 11 balls, including two fours and three sixes, swung the match their way.
Opener Sahibzada Farhan also played a key role, striking 47 off 31 deliveries with four boundaries and two sixes.
Batting first, the Netherlands posted 147 in 19.5 overs, with notable contributions from skipper Scott Edwards, Bas de Leede, Michael Levitt, and Colin Ackermann.
Former all-rounder and coach Azhar Mahmood, alongside Yasir Hameed, congratulated Faheem on his match-turning innings while critiquing the rest of the batting lineup.
Former spinner Saeed Ajmal also joined the praise, adding a light-hearted comment.
“Thank you Ranaaaa saaabbb!! Warna ham Shayad India ke saath khelnay ka soch hi lety [otherwise we might have though we should play India],” he wrote.
Meanwhile, pacer Rumman Raees also praised the batter’s late cameo.
Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed took to his social media to upload a story praising Faheem Ashraf.
Fans and social media users also piled in with celebratory posts. Writer and commentator Nadeem Farooq Paracha wrote: “Embarrassment averted. Thank you, Faheem Ashraf.”
A netizen posted: “Thank You Rana For Saving Us.”
Another hailed Faheem’s late surge, urging followers to “Relive Rana Faheem Ashraf’s crazy hitting” and crediting “3 massive sixes” for sealing the result, while one fan quipped: “Once Rana flew a kite in childhood, people call it Basant now.”
