Faheem Ashraf's prayer answered: Pakistan star recalls Dutch wild ride in Colombo

Pakistan all-rounder Faheem Ashraf admitted he was holding his breath — every part of his body silently praying for a catch to go down—during the penultimate over of a tense but ultimately successful run chase against the Netherlands in their T20 World Cup opener on Saturday.

Pakistan's all-rounder Faheem Ashraf admitted that his entire body was praying for a catch to be dropped during the penultimate over of his side's nervy yet successful run chase against the Netherlands in their T20 World Cup opener on Saturday.

Needing 29 runs from the final two overs, Ashraf launched a stunning counterattack, smashing three sixes and a four off Logan van Beek before finishing the match with a boundary in the final over as Pakistan reached 148 for 7 in 19.3 overs.

The turning point came on the second ball of the 19th over when Max O’Dowd dropped Ashraf at long-on with the batter on seven, a miss that proved decisive. Had the chance been taken, Pakistan would have been eight down and still needing 23 off 10 balls.

“That feeling, I just said this outside, at that time it wasn’t only my tongue that was praying, but every part of my body was praying for that catch to be dropped,” the 32-year-old bowling all-rounder said at the post-match press conference.

Ashraf went on to emerge as Pakistan’s unlikely hero, hammering an unbeaten 29 off just 11 balls, including two fours and three sixes, to seal a dramatic three-wicket victory. He also shared an unbroken 34-run stand for the eighth wicket with Shaheen Afridi.

T20 World Cup PAK vs NED: Highlights | Full Scorecard