Sweden vs Norway — Sweden won by 5 wickets (with 13 balls remaining)

Sweden won by 5 wickets (with 13 balls remaining) in the 81st match of 118 in the T20 Internationals 2026 season at Botkyrka Cricket Center, Stockholm. After losing to Norway by 23 runs at the same venue last August, Sweden levelled the head-to-head record at 1-1 with a composed chase that looked anything but straightforward at 39/4.

Norway Innings – 137/9 (20 overs)

Norway’s innings was a tale of two halves. The top order crumbled badly – Khizer Ahmed fell for a duck in the second ball of the match (0/1, 0.2 overs), caught off the bowling of Sweden’s attack. Mohammad Saif-Ul Islam made just 5 off 4 before departing at 28/3 (5.2 overs), and Daud Asghar contributed 12 off 14 before being bowled at 22/2 (4.3 overs).

At 52/5 after 9.6 overs, Norway were in deep trouble. Usman Akram had made 16 off 16 with a six, but his dismissal and Faisal Raza‘s quick exit for 2 off 3 (bowled at 51/5, 9.4 overs) left the visitors reeling.

Enter Qamar Mushtaque. The all-rounder smashed 50 off just 32 balls with 3 fours and 4 sixes, striking at 156. He was well supported by Ibrahim Rahimi (29 off 27, 2 sixes), and together they hauled Norway from 52/5 to 118 before Rahimi fell at 18.5 overs. Mushtaque was eventually caught at 135/8 (19.5 overs), but his counterattack ensured Norway at least had something to defend.

Sweden’s bowlers all completed their four overs. Hamid Mahmood was the pick with 2/19 at an economy of 4.75, while Advait Dhabe was miserly with 1/15 at 3.75. Naser Baluch chipped in with 2/25, though Samiullah Rahmani was expensive at 1/41 from his four overs (economy 10.25).

Sweden Innings – 138/5 (17.5 overs)

The chase started disastrously for Sweden. Imal Zuwak was trapped LBW for a duck in the second ball (1/1, 0.2 overs), and the wickets kept falling. Ajay Mundra cracked 8 off 5 with two fours before departing at 13/2 (1.5 overs), and Saeed Ahmed struck three fours in a quick-fire 13 off 8 before falling at 26/3 (2.5 overs).

Zaid Ahmad hit 14 off 7 including a four and a six at a strike rate of 200, but was bowled at 39/4 (4.3 overs). At that point, Sweden needed 99 from 93 balls with six wickets in hand – gettable, but far from comfortable.

Wynand Boshoff steadied things superbly. The experienced batter anchored the chase with an unbeaten 46 off 39 balls (4 fours, 2 sixes, SR 118), building a crucial 66-run partnership with Yatharth Chauhan (28 off 30, 3 fours). Chauhan’s dismissal at 105/5 (13.5 overs) caused a brief wobble, but Boshoff found a reliable partner in Hamid Mahmood (17* off 17), and the pair knocked off the remaining 33 runs without further alarm. Sweden crossed the line with 13 balls to spare.

Ahmadullah Shinwari was Norway’s standout bowler with 3/21 from his four overs (economy 5.25), claiming the key wickets that kept Norway in the contest. Usman Akram took 1/23 from 2 overs, and Qamar Mushtaque added 1/31 from 3.5 overs to go with his half-century.

Statz MVP – Ahmadullah Shinwari (106.41)

Ahmadullah Shinwari takes the Statz MVP award with a match impact rating of 106.41. His 3/21 from four overs at an economy of 5.25 was the best bowling performance of the match. Despite Norway losing, Shinwari’s figures were outstanding – the Statz algorithm calculates impact based on match context, and bowling 3/21 at 5.25 in a 137-run game was the single biggest individual contribution. No official Man of the Match was awarded for this fixture.

Top 5 Statz Ratings

1. Ahmadullah Shinwari (NOR) – 106.41 – 3/21 from 4 overs, economy 5.25. Best bowling in the match despite Norway’s defeat.
2. Qamar Mushtaque (NOR) – 93.46 – 50 off 32 (SR 156, 4 sixes) plus 1/31 with the ball. Rescued Norway from 52/5 with an outstanding counterattack.
3. Hamid Mahmood (SWE) – 85.78 – 2/19 with the ball (economy 4.75) and a composed unbeaten 17 off 17 to finish the chase alongside Boshoff.
4. Advait Dhabe (SWE) – 58.29 – 1/15 from 4 overs, economy 3.75. The most economical bowler in the match.
5. Naser Baluch (SWE) – 52.46 – 2/25 from 4 overs, economy 6.25. Struck twice in the middle overs to help derail Norway’s top order.

Turning Point

Norway’s collapse from 22/1 to 52/5 set the tone for the match, but the real turning point came in Sweden’s chase. At 39/4 after just 4.3 overs – Zaid Ahmad bowled by Ahmadullah Shinwari – Sweden were wobbling badly, still needing 99 runs. The match hinged on what happened next, and Wynand Boshoff’s refusal to panic was decisive. His 66-run stand with Yatharth Chauhan across nearly 10 overs turned the chase from precarious to controlled, and by the time Chauhan departed at 105/5, Sweden were cruising.

Match Context

This was the 81st match of 118 in the T20 Internationals 2026 calendar. The head-to-head between Sweden and Norway is now level at 1-1 after Norway’s 23-run win at the same venue in August 2025. Sweden’s win ends a run of two consecutive defeats in T20Is and will give confidence heading into their next assignment. For Norway, back-to-back away losses highlight continuing struggles on the road.

View the full scorecard on Statz