Pakistan opener Sam Ayub was out while attempting a bold no-look shot during the T20 World Cup 2026 match against Netherlands. Fans took to social media to mock the young batsman after his dismissal in the World Cup opener at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Saturday, February 7.
After winning the toss and batting first, Pakistan bowlers restricted Netherlands to 147 runs. Salman Mirza led the attack with three wickets, while Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed and Saim Ayub took two wickets each. Bas De Leede was the top scorer for the Dutch, scoring 30 runs from 25 balls.
Sam Ayub’s no-look shot backfires in T20 World Cup match against Netherlands
Sam Ayub tried to make an impact by playing aggressive cricket against the Netherlands, but the risks did not work out in his favour. The left-handed batsman attempted a no-look lofted stroke and eventually gifted away his wicket.
Aryan Dutt bowled a ball around the off-stump region. Ayub, aiming to cross the boundary, failed to get into position and hit the ball off the leading edge. It went high into the air, and Van der Merwe completed a neat reverse-cup catch.
Ayub’s innings ended on 24 runs off 13 balls, which included four fours and a six. The dismissal gave early success to Aryan Dutt and he dismissed a dangerous batsman who had started fast.
Saim Ayub tried a no-look shot and was out trying to flex against the Netherlands. Only these people can do something like thispic.twitter.com/IIFKkw3Uh0
– Supravirat (@Mostlykohli) 7 February 2026
Sam Ayub’s dismissal triggers reactions on social media
Sam Ayoub’s dismissal sparked reactions on social media, with fans flooding the scene with jokes and criticism. “Bhai thinks he’s Abhishek Sharma,” one shared comment said, comparing the Pakistan batsman with the Indian cricketer who is known for his aggressive batting.
Aggressive batting style is common in T20 cricket, where batsmen often take risks to stay ahead of the bowlers.
Hopefully Ayub will now focus on learning from this setback and will come back stronger in the upcoming matches. He would like to play a more effective role for Pakistan in the World Cup.
Faheem Ashraf’s cameo sealed Pakistan’s dramatic win
Sahibzada Farhan started the innings by scoring 47 runs in 31 balls, while Pakistan captain Salman Ali Aga could only score 12 runs in 8 balls. Despite scoring 61 runs in the powerplay and keeping the required pace under control, Pakistan lost momentum after the half stage.
Netherlands tightened the noose by taking wickets at regular intervals, increasing the pressure on the Men in Green. Babar Azam struggled to rotate the strike and was eventually dismissed.
The game turned in the final overs when Faheem Ashraf changed the momentum with three sixes and a four in the 19th over bowled by Logan van Beek. Pakistan needed 29 runs from the last two overs, which soon came down to 5 runs from the last six balls.
Shaheen Shah Afridi and Faheem completed the chase in just three balls, while Faheem remained unbeaten on 29 runs in 11 balls. Aryan Dutt took two wickets, while Paul van Meekeren took 2 wickets for 20 runs.
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