The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 began with the Pakistan vs Netherlands clash at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Saturday, February 7, where Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi were involved in perfect teamwork to pull off one of the most dramatic moments of the game.
T20 World Cup 2026 opener offers immediate drama
In the fifth over of Netherlands’ innings, Michael Levitt went to hit a big shot straight down the field against Mohammad Nawaz. He came down and tried to hit a four, but the ball did not pass through the middle of the bat.
Instead, it hit the bottom of Leavitt’s bat, resulting in the ball going high into the air. The ball went towards the long-off boundary, where Babar Azam reacted immediately.
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The former Pakistan captain ran to his right and managed to catch the ball safely with both hands near the boundary line. However, his momentum carried him forward, and he was about to step on the rope, making it a six.
Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi join hands for spectacular relay catch
But just before his foot touched the ground outside the boundary, Babar showed great alertness. He threw the ball straight into the air while still inside the playing field. At the same time, Shaheen Afridi raced backwards from the mid-on region to take the catch.
As Babar walked out, Shaheen positioned himself perfectly and caught the ball cleanly as it came down. The attempt turned into a tag-team catch, as the first fielder dropped the ball before it touched the boundary.
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As Babar-Afridi’s brilliant efforts dismissed the dangerous Michael Levitt for 24 off 15 balls, Pakistan players broke into celebration.
– Drizzyat12Kennyat8 (@45kennyat7PM) 7 February 2026
to be continued….
