, Feb. 7 -- Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and opted to field first against the Netherlands as the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 got underway at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo on Saturday.

Despite searingly hot conditions, Agha's decision was influenced by what he described as "unusual" conditions for a Sri Lankan venue, pointing to a significant layer of grass on the surface.

"It looks like a fresh pitch and there's been rain for a few days, so if there's any moisture we want to use that," Agha explained at the toss. "It's the first time I've seen that much grass in Sri Lanka".

Looking to exploit the potential early movement, Pakistan named a seam-heavy attack featuring Shaheen Shah Afridi, newcomer Salman Mi...