Shepherd takes hat trick at T20 WCup as West Indies beats Scotland. Pakistan overcomes Netherlands

By Canadian Press on February 7, 2026.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — West Indies fast bowler Romario Shepherd took four Scottish wickets in five balls, including a hat trick, and Faheem Ashraf’s late assault rescued Pakistan in a three-wicket win over the Netherlands on an eventful opening day of cricket’s T20 World Cup.

Pakistan needed the win on Saturday as it can ill afford to lose points in any of the Group A games it plays after announcing it would boycott its Feb. 15 match in Sri Lanka against co-host India, a decision that shook the cricket world. The ICC hopes the PCB will reconsider otherwise Pakistan will forfeit the marquee game of the tournament.

In the afternoon match at Kolkata, West Indies had a 35-run victory over Scotland, which replaced Bangladesh at late notice in Group C. Shepherd grabbed 5-20 — including four wickets in the match-changing 17th over — and Shimron Hetmyer hit a 22-ball half century.

Boycott plays on minds of Pakistan

The Pakistan Cricket Board accused the ICC of double standards in ousting Bangladesh from the 20-team tournament and the boycott controversy appeared to have affected Pakistan as it crashed to 114-7 at Colombo. But Ashraf smashed an unbeaten 29 runs off 11 balls to carry the former champions to 148-7 in 19.3 overs.

The Netherlands had earlier collapsed to 147 all out in 19.5 overs, losing the last six wickets for 20 runs, on an unusual grassy wicket at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

The Netherlands was on the cusp of an upset and had squeezed Pakistan before Ashraf cut loose against fast bowler Logan van Beek in a penultimate over that cost 24 runs and also saw Max O’Dowd dropping a crucial catch of Ashraf at long-on.

“Heart rates go up and down, it’s happened so many times before (and) we’re used to it,” Ashraf said. “You have to hold your nerves in these situations.”

Pakistan had choked in the middle overs as fast bowler Paul van Meekeren’s (2-20) double-wicket maiden over turned the game on its head when Sahibzada Farhan (47) holed out in the outfield and Usman Khan chopped the ball back onto his stumps. Babar Azam’s struggle in the T20 format continued when he made a scratchy 15 off 18 balls and offered a tame catch at long on.

Earlier, Netherlands captain Scott Edwards top scored with 37 off 29 balls and had guided his team to 127-4, but his dismissal in the 16th over saw the Dutch collapse.

Saim Ayub, who was surprisingly introduced in the death overs, grabbed 2-7 in the only over he bowled. Left-arm fast bowler Salman Mirza took 3-24 that included two wickets in the final over.

Pakistan did well in the field, including Babar’s sensational catch to dismiss dangerman Michael Levitt (24) when he tossed the ball back to Shaheen Shah Afridi after losing his balance close to the long-off boundary.

Shepherd and Hetmyer star for West Indies

Hetmyer’s aggressive batting lifted the West Indies to a strong 182-5 before Shepherd’s heroics led to Scotland all out for 147 in 18.5 overs.

Captain Richie Berrington made a fighting 42 but his dismissal in the 14th over saw Scotland collapse from 115-3 to 147 all out.

Shepherd claimed the wickets of Matthew Cross and Michael Leask before knocking back the off stump of Oliver Davidson to achieve the hat trick. Safyaan Sharif offered a tame catch at mid-off at the end of the over as Scotland capitulated in its run chase.

Hetmyer smacked six sixes and two boundaries in the fastest half century by a West Indian batter at men’s T20 World Cups with Rutherford (26) and Rovman Powell (24) also playing little cameos.

Left-arm fast bowler Brad Currie (2-23) picked up the wickets of Powell and Rutherford.

India bats against U.S.

Defending champion India batted first after the United States won the toss and chose to field in the last game of the opening day at Mumbai.

Namibia is the other team in Group A.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

The Associated Press

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