In their World Cup opener at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Pakistan showcased an impressive bowling performance, restricting the Netherlands to 205 runs in their pursuit of a challenging 287-run target. Harish Rauf and Hasan Ali shone with 3 and 2 wickets respectively, while Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, and Iftikhar Ahmed chipped in with one wicket each, bundling out the Netherlands in just 41 overs.
Opting to bat first, Pakistan managed to score 286 runs in 49 overs, thanks to solid contributions from Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel, who both notched up 68 runs. Despite a lack of support from their top-order batsmen, Pakistan set a competitive total.
In response, the Netherlands got off to a decent start with Vikramjit Singh’s fifty providing some momentum. However, a collapse in the middle order hampered their chase. de Leede’s resilient 67-run innings kept the team in contention, but his dismissal shifted the momentum back in Pakistan’s favor. Ultimately, the Netherlands lost their way and fell short, resulting in a defeat.
