World Cup: Rizwan, Shakeel do the rescue act

Both batters hit half-centuries to take Pakistan to 286; Bad de Leede scalps four wickets for Netherlands

Hyderabad: Netherland’s Bas de Leede scalped four wickets, including two double-wicket overs, but Mohammad Rizwan (68) and Saud Shakeel (68) hit crucial half-centuries and added 120 runs for the fourth wicket to take Pakistan to a fighting 286 in their ICC Men’s ODI World Cup opening clash against Netherlands at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday.

Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan added 64 runs for the seventh wicket before their side was all out in 49 overs. Electing to bowl first, the Netherlands had a perfect start. Aryan Dutt and Logan Van Beek bowled tight overs. Pacer Van Beek extended Fakhar Zaman’s (12) poor run dismissing him cheaply after taking a good return catch in his bowling in the fourth over.

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The Dutch team got the priced wicket of Babar Azam (5) in the ninth over when Colin Ackermann struck on his third ball dismissing Pakistan captain, who pulled the off-spinner straight to mid-wicket. The very next over, Paul Van Meekeren ended out-of-form Imam-Ul-Haq’s (15) stay at the wicket on his very first delivery. The southpaw was caught at deep fine-leg off a short ball as Pakistan were reduced to 43/3 in the first 10 overs.

However, Rizwan and Shakeel did the rescue act. Both were aggressive in their approach despite early wickets. Shakeel hit the first six of the match in the 22nd over off Roelof Van der Merwe and a couple of fours in Vijramjit Singh’s over to reach his fifty in just 32 balls.

At the other end, Rizwan too completed his fifty in 58 balls. Both took their 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. Bas de Leede then struck twice in the 32nd over dismissing well-set Rizwan and then Iftikhar Ahmed 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 Pakistan managed another crucial partnership through Nawaz and vice-captain Shadab. Both took their side past the 250-run mark. de Leede then returned to deliver another two wickets in the same over dismissing Shadab Khan (32) and Hasan Ali (0) off successive deliveries in the 44th over. Pakistan’s last recognised batter Mohammad Nawaz (39) was run out after a miscommunication with Shaheen Shah Afridi while Harris Rauf, after a six and a four, was stumped on the last ball of the 49th over.