World Cup: Pakistan begin campaign with resounding win

Rizwan, Shakeel hit fifties in their side's 81-run victory over Netherlands

Hyderabad: Bas de Leede’s individual brilliance of 67-run knock and a four-wicket haul notwithstanding, Pakistan handed Netherlands a 81-run loss to begin their World Cup campaign on a rousing note, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday.

Despite not having an ideal start, Pakistan, who were asked to bat, rode on half-centuries from Mohammad Rizwan (68) and Saud Shakeel (68) and their 120-run partnership for the fourth wicket to post 286 runs before being all out in 49 overs. Netherlands looked comfortable until half-way through their chase with Vikramjit Singh (50) and Bas de Leede hitting half-centuries. But they lost steam after their wickets to be bundled out for 205 runs in 41 overs. Rauf picked up three wickets.

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Vikramjit began confidently hitting Shaheen Shah Afridi for a couple of boundaries to get the chase going. But Hasan Ali dismissed Max O’Dowd in the sixth over while spinner Iftikhar Ahmed bowled Colin Ackermann (17) to reduce them to 50/2 in 12 overs.

Vikramjit and de Leede kept them in the hunt adding 70 for the third wicket before Vikram, who reached his half-century, holed out in the 24th over at the team’s score of 120. From there on, it was one-way traffic. Harif Rauf dismissed N Teja and captain Scott Edward in span of three deliveries in the 27th over while Mohammad Nawaz ended de Leede’s vigil in the 33rd over to put paid to their hopes of a win.

Earlier, Netherlands bowlers gave an ideal start as Paul Van Beek dismissed Fakhar Zaman (12) with a return catch in the fourth over.
Ackermann then got the priced wicket of Babar Azam (5) cheaply when the Pakistan captain pulled the off-spinner straight to mid-wicket.

Pakistan were then reduced to 43/3 in 10 overs when Paul Van Meekeren got rid of Imam-Ul-Haq’s (15).

However, Rizwan and Shakeel did the rescue act. Both were aggressive in their approach. Shakeel hit the innings’ first six in the 22nd over off Roelof Van der Merwe and reached his fifty in 32 balls. At the other end, Rizwan too completed his fifty and took his side past 150 in the 27th over. Dutt then broke the partnership when Shakeel was holed out at the mid-wicket after a 58-ball 68 in the 39th over.

De Leede then struck twice in the 32nd over dismissing Rizwan and Iftikhar to reduce the opposition to 188/6. He first bowled Rizwan with a beauty and then forced Iftikhar to edge one to wicketkeeper Scott Edwards. But Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan added 64 for the seventh wicket and took their side past the 250-run mark.

De Leede then returned to deliver another two wickets in one over dismissing Shadab Khan (32) and Hasan Ali (0) off successive deliveries in the 44th over. With Nawaz (39) running himself out and Harris Rauf out stumped, Pakistan were all out in the 49th over.