- Pakistan wins World Cup opener.
- De Leede’s strong performance.
- Netherlands falls short.
Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel both scored fifty runs for Pakistan in their World Cup opener against the Netherlands on Friday. However, Pakistan’s bowlers secured an 81-run victory, maintaining their status as the 1992 champions.
Vikramjit Singh (52) and Bas de Leede (67) got the Dutch within 287, threatening a stunning win in Hyderabad. Nevertheless, Pakistan continued to reduce the deficit, eventually dismissing the underdogs for 205 in 41 overs.
After the Netherlands won the toss and chose to bowl, De Leede disrupted the Pakistani order with four wickets for 62 runs, while Colin Ackermann took two wickets for 39. However, Shakeel and Rizwan (both scoring 68) ensured that Pakistan reached 286 runs in 49 overs.
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Haris Rauf completed the job by bowling out Paul van Meekeren for three, conceding 43 runs. Rauf led the Pakistani attack, even with the absence of the injured Naseem Shah.
De Leede, the offspring of former Dutch captain Tim, and a participant in the World Cups of 1996, 2003, and 2007, exhibited an aggressive style as he dispatched two sixes and six fours, including a hooked shot beyond the boundary off Rauf. He cheekily winked at the bowler, who had delivered a fiery bouncer to him during last year’s Twenty20 World Cup, commemorating that shot.
However, De Leede, who was 23 years old at the time, was dismissed by Mohammad Nawaz via a delivery bowled, and despite a late surge by Logan van Beek (28 off 28 balls, including three sixes), the Dutch challenge was quelled.
Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, expressed relief at winning after battling at 38 for three.
“I am satisfied,” declared Babar. “The bowlers deserve credit; we started well and took wickets in the middle overs to apply pressure on them.”
After losing three wickets, Rizwan and Shakeel began to build momentum… The way Saud constructed his innings showcases his growth.
In the fourth over, opener Fakhar Zaman lofted a slower Van Beek ball back to the bowler for the first wicket. The Netherlands then added pressure by capturing the valuable wicket of Babar for just five runs.
Babar, who bowled 18 balls on a dry pitch that initially offered significant turn and bounce, appeared far from composed. In Ackermann’s first over, Babar lost one to Saqib Zulfiqar at midwicket.
After Imam-ul-Haq was dismissed for 43 for three in the ten powerplay overs, Rizwan and Shakeel stabilized the innings with a 120-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
The Dutch, who qualified for the World Cup and were playing their first match since 2011, responded with spinner Aryan Dutt capturing Shakeel and De Leede dismissing Rizwan’s stumps.
De Leede again bowled Hasan Ali out in the 44th over against Shadab Khan (32 balls). Nawaz was dismissed for 39, but Pakistan ultimately benefited from the rearguard effort.
“It’s somewhat disappointing.” “”They scored a few runs in the dying stages, but we considered it par,” said Netherlands captain Scott Edwards. “At 120 for two, we felt we were firmly in control of the game.”
