Pakistan began their World Cup campaign on a winning note, going past a fighting Netherlands by 81 runs here on Friday.
Pakistan made 286 all out in 49 overs as wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan (68 off 75 balls) and Saud Shakeel (68 off 52 balls) helmed their innings on either side of a batting collapse.
The Netherlands were then bowled out for 205 in 41 overs. However, questions will remain about Pakistan’s fielding and their spinners’ use of the conditions. Their pacers took six of the wickets to fall with Haris Rauf returning figures of 3/43.
On a slightly tricky pitch, Netherlands pacer Bas de Leede (4/62) checked Pakistan’s batters with a good spell.
De Leede then returned to make a brave 67 off 68 balls but Pakistan bowlers led by Hasan Ali and Harris Rauf, who grabbed five wickets among them, warded off the Dutch challenge.
Earlier, De Leede took four wickets with his medium-pace as a resolute Netherlands restricted Pakistan.
Babar Azam’s men suffered two mini collapses in their innings, one at the top of the order and the other after a 120-run stand off 114 balls between Rizwan and Shakeel for the fourth wicket.
While De Leede got the important breakthroughs in the middle-overs, off-spinners Aryan Dutt (1/48) and Colin Ackermann (2/39) got a lot out of the Hyderabad surface.
Playing their first World Cup game in 12 years, the Netherlands used as many as eight bowling options after opting to field.
Dutt opened the bowling alongside Logan van Beek who got his outswing (inswing to the left-handers) going in the Powerplay.
Pakistan were in a nervy state after losing Fakhar Zaman (12), skipper Babar Azam (5) and Imam-ul-Haq (15) by the 10th over.
Van Beek had the out-of-form Fakhar caught and bowled before Ackermann got the prized wicket of Babar whose attempted pull landed straight into the hands of the mid-wicket fielder.
Paul van Meekran struck on his very first ball as his short ball got big on Iman who pulled it straight to fine-leg, leaving Pakistan at 38/3.
Rizwan and Saud gave the innings much needed stability. Shakeel, playing only his seventh ODI, was particularly impressive against the spinners. His effort included nine fours and a six via a slog sweep off Roelof Van der Merwe.
De Leede broke the stand by removing Rizwan. From 188/6, Mohammad Nawaz (39) and Shadab Khan (32) forged a 64-run partnership.
Pakistan were on course to reach 300 but De Leede got rid of Shadab and Hasan Ali off successive balls to put the brakes on the scoring rate.
