In an otherwise uninspiring batting display in Pakistan’s World Cup opener against the Netherlands on Friday, Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel both scored identical half-centuries before the bowlers clinched the 1992 winners’ easy 81-run victory.
The Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad served as the venue for the game.
Vikramjit Singh (52) and Bas de Leede (67), who were given an achievable goal of 287, gave the Dutch in Hyderabad a chance to pull off a shock victory at one point. However, Pakistan continued to chip away and eventually dismissed the underdogs for 205 in 41 overs.
A clinical display with the ball helped Pakistan to a big win against Netherlands in their opening #CWC23 encounter 👊#PAKvNED 📝: https://t.co/hqnUuGgEcL pic.twitter.com/pU0CsKfhjI
— ICC (@ICC) October 6, 2023
By dismissing Paul van Meekeren with a bowl, Haris Rauf (3-43) completed the task.
After the Netherlands won the toss and elected to bowl, De Leede and Colin Ackerman tore through the Pakistan batting order, taking 4-62 and 2-39 respectively, but Rizwan (68) and Shakeel (68) made sure the Asian team made 286 in 49 overs.
The Netherlands turned up the heat by gaining the prized wicket of Babar Azam for five in the fourth over after opening batsman Fakhar Zaman was the first to go. He lofted a slower ball from Logan van Beek back to the spinner.
On a dry track that produced enough of turn and bounce early on, Babar barely seemed in control during his 18-ball spell. In Ackermann’s first over, the skipper pulled one to Saqib Zulfiqar at mid-wicket.
After Imam-ul-Haq holed up in the deep, Pakistan stumbled to 43-3 in the 10 powerplay overs, but middle-order batsman Rizwan and Shakeel steadied the ship with a fourth-wicket partnership of 120.
After winning the qualifying round, the Dutch, who were playing in their first World Cup match since 2011, retaliated by catching Shakeel and shattering Rizwan’s stumps.
In the 44th over, De Leede replicated the feat against Shadab Khan (32) and bowled Hasan Ali for a leg before wicket. Mohammad Nawaz was defeated for 39, but Pakistan’s rearguard action ultimately paid dividends.
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