by: Atika Mehboob TN Sports Pakistan:
Pakistan 286 (Shakeel 68, Rizwan 68, de Leede 4-62) beat Netherlands 205 (de Leede 67, Singh 52, Haris 3-43) by 81 runs.
In their opening game, Pakistan’s middle-order and bowling unit secured a classic win. Tasked with batting first against a formidable Netherlands team, Pakistan posted 286 in their innings.
The top-order, however, did not contribute much. Fakhar Zaman continued his struggle for form, while the usually dependable Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam also faltered.
This left the responsibility to the reliable Mohammad Rizwan and newcomer Saud Shakeel. Rizwan maintained his excellent form, while Shakeel marked his World Cup debut with a brisk 68 runs. His innings played a pivotal role in relieving the pressure, as he dispatched the Netherlands bowlers with ease.
The partnership between Rizwan and Shakeel was invaluable. Later, the contributions from the lower order took Pakistan’s score to 286 in 49 overs.
Once perceived as unsuitable for the shorter formats, Shakeel showcased his prowess by reaching a 32-ball half-century. His impeccable footwork against spinners and strong drives against pacers were noteworthy. The duo’s partnership of 100 runs firmly placed Pakistan in the driving seat. Unfortunately, Shakeel’s aggressive stint ended with a mistimed shot off Aryan Dutt, and Netherlands regained some momentum. Rizwan soon fell to a brilliant delivery from de Leede, who also dismissed Iftikhar Ahmed in the same over.
A crucial 64-run partnership between spin-bowling allrounders Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan ensured Pakistan had a competitive total. Nevertheless, the Dutch bowlers, led by de Leede, consistently took wickets, restricting Pakistan to 286 in 49 overs.
In their chase, Netherlands began confidently. Despite losing Max O’Dowd early to Hasan Ali, Vikramjit Singh aggressively took on the Pakistani bowlers. However, an ill-advised shot off Iftikhar led to Ackermann’s dismissal.
The key partnership for Netherlands was between Singh and de Leede. Just as Singh began to find his rhythm, he fell to a delivery from Shadab. The Netherlands’ hope rested on de Leede’s shoulders, but wickets continued to tumble at the other end. Haris Rauf, in particular, was lethal, claiming two crucial wickets in quick succession.
De Leede displayed a valiant effort, reaching his fifty with a blend of aggression and finesse. Yet, lack of support from the other end made the task insurmountable. Despite a brave effort from an injured Logan van Beek, Pakistan’s bowlers, especially Rauf’s return spell caused significant damage to the Dutch lineup. Consequently, Dutches were bowled out for 205 and the Pakistan team collected a victory of 81 runs.
Saud was adjudged player of the match for his heroic knock. Pakistan kicked off their World Cup campaign in a remarkable style. If anything, the Pakistan fans would love them to continue this streak.
