HYDERABAD – Pakistan on Thursday thrashed underdog Netherlands by 81 runs to kick off their World Cup 2023 campaign in style.

Despite a great start to their innings, the Netherlands could not hold on to the momentum and kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and were all-out for 205 runs. Vikramjit Singh and Bas de Leede remained top-scorer for their side with 52 and 67 runs respectively.

Maiden triumph in the leading cricket event is a combined bowling effort after opener Rizwan and Saud Shakeel helped Men in Green. Chasing 287, the Netherlands started well but pacer Hasan Ali got first scalp in sixth over by outclassing Max O’Dowd.

Vikramjit Singh then pushed batting momentum along with Colin Ackermann, but Iftikhar Ahmed got the latter in 12th over. Leede then stitched a decent partnership, and dodged Pakistani bowling attack.

Vice skipper Shadab Khan got a scalp in 24th over; Singh could only score 52 off 67 deliveries, courtesy of four boundaries and a sixer. The Dutch then faced back-to-back blows and slipped to 164/7 with their key player Bas de Leede returning to the pavillion.

Leede scored 68-ball 67 with six boundaries and two maximums.

Pakistani pacer Haris Rauf starred with 3/43, Hasan Ali got 2/33 while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz got single scalp.

Earlier in the game, Pakistan failed to give big total to the underdog Netherlands, as Men in Green registered a below-par total of 286 runs. Team Green faced early blows as Fakhar Zaman returned on 12, Imam-ul-Haq scored mere 15 and skipper Babar Azam returned on 5 with 38 runs on board in 9.1 overs.

Mohammad Rizwan then joined new talent Saud Shakeel and the duo anchored a 120-run partnership for the fourth wicket, with both scoring half-tons. Aryan Dutt then targeted Shakeel, and Mohammad Rizwan was next to return to pavilion after scoring 68.

Saud Shakeel bagged Player of the Match award on his World Cup debut, and raked in accolades.

Iftikhar Ahmed was then outclassed by Bas de Leede on 9. Nawaz then joined the action, putting together a crucial partnership for the seventh wicket and added 64 runs to the total.

Leede then struck again and this time, he got Shadab Khan on 32 off 34. Green Shirts lost two more wickets in quick succession after Mohammad Nawaz walked back after scoring a 43-ball 39, and Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi added 19-run partnership.

Squads

Netherlands squad: Scott Edwards (c), Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede, Vikram Singh, Teja Nidamanuru, Paul van Meekeren, Colin Ackermann, Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Ryan Klein, Wesley Barresi, Saqib Zulfiqar, Shariz Ahmad, Sybrand Engelbrecht.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim.