ODI World Cup 2023, PAK vs NED

Despite a strong start to their innings, the Netherlands could not maintain the momentum and kept on losing wickets at regular intervals, and were eventually all-out for 205 runs in Pakistan’s victory in the second match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India.

Vikramjit Singh, a left-handed opener, and all-rounder Bas de Leede led their team in scoring with 52 and 67 runs, respectively.

Haris Rauf took three wickets, Hasan Ali claimed two, while Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, and Iftikhar Ahmed each claimed one for Pakistan’s six bowlers.

Earlier, Pakistan scored 286 after Babar Azam’s team struggled early on, losing three wickets in the opening 10 overs, but they later mounted a commendable comeback.

Scott Edwards chose to bowl first in Hyderabad after winning the toss. While Babar Azam was dismissed for five runs in 18 balls, middle-order hitter Saud Shakeel reached the 50-run mark in just 37 balls.

Mohammed Rizwan and Shakeel, a middle-order pair, led their battle, while Shadab Khan and Mohammed Nawaz later contributed with the bat to help Pakistan reach a total that may win the game.

Vice-captain Shadab Khan led the opening innings of Pakistan’s first match after the visitors fell down by six wickets after 37 overs.

After entering the middle, Shadab Khan took his time with a few deliveries and continued to rotate the strike with some accurate boundaries. He quickly reached 22 out of 21 deliveries. But what merits praise are his first and second sixes from Pakistan’s innings.

Mohammad Nawaz, meanwhile, played a significant 39 of 43 ball innings.

Asked to bat first, Pakistan posted a respectable total on the board thanks to half-centuries from Mohammad Rizwan (68) and Saud Shakeel (68). For Netherlands, Bas de Leede returned with four wickets, and Colin Ackermann forced two outs.