Pakistan beat NED by 81 runs to lift up their run rate which cost them the ICC World Cup 2019. This 81-run victory over the Netherlands is a good morale booster for Pakistan. The start that Pakistan was looking for because they were on the receiving end for the last 4 matches. The Netherlands showed their class that they are a competitive opposition. The Netherlands might be upset in the World Cup.
The Netherlands won the toss and elected to field first. They knew that the surface has so much for spinner, especially in the first innings. The Netherlands got what they were expecting. In the first powerplay, the Green Shirts lost 3 top-order batters for 38 runs on the board.
The situation was looking out of control but Saud Shakeel and Muhammad Rizwan steadied the ship and added 120 runs at pace. Saud Shakeel got him to his fifty with a healthy strike rate of 130+. He made 68 for 52 balls.
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Saud Shakeel and Muhammad Rizwan’s 120 Runs Partnership
Muhammad Rizwan played very well for his 68 facing 75 balls. The strike rate was on the lower side but his innings set a platform for the lower-order batters to get to 300 runs.
The twin spin attack also gave a good hand by adding 64 runs to ensure a defendable total. Pakistan managed to score 286 but couldn’t play the complete quota of 50 overs. Which is a concerning point for the Men in Green.
Bas de Leede was the pick of the bowlers who got 4 wickets in his 9 overs spell giving away only 62 runs. He looked a bit expensive but he got some key wickets stopping Pakistan from marching along. The target was gettable on this batting-friendly wicket but Pakistan fast bowlers, Shaheen, Haris, and Hasan bowled well to restrict the Dutch to 205 for all in 40-odd overs.
Saud Shakeel got the MOM award for his brilliant innings in the first match of the ICC World Cup 2023 for his team. The big plus for Pakistan was Shabad’s form as a bowler. He bowled really well after getting his first wicket
