![Pakistan beat Netherlands in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023](uploads/2023/10/07/1696647372.Pakistan1.jpg)
Pakistan secured an 81 run win over the Netherlands in their opening match of the ODI World Cup 2023 on October 7 at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad, India.
According to Pakistan captain Babar Azam, "I am satisfied with the result." "Credit to the bowlers, we started well and took wickets in the middle. We lost three wickets while batting but the way Rizwan and Shakeel started took it away," he added.
The Dutch put on a spirited show riding on all-round performance by Bas de Leede who first scalped four wickets for 62 runs with the ball before keeping the Men in Orange for a good part in their run chase, top scoring with 67 off 68.
Pakistan did lose early wickets after being put on to bat first by Scott Edwards who won the toss and chose to field. Both Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan made 68 each, scoring them off 52 and 75 deliveries respectively.
Haris Rauf removed Teja Nidamanuru (five) and Scott Edwards, ultimately finishing with figures of 3 for 43. Hasan Ali scalped 2 for 33 while each of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan picked up a wicket each. Shakeel was the Player Of the Match.
"Tried to be positive and score runs for the team. Nerves were there, we lost 3 wickets but I was fortunate enough to get early boundaries. We knew the pressure would go back to them if we got a start. I think the last 2-3 months I’ve been playing hard, I knew I’d bat number 5 for Pakistan and have been developing my shots according to that - sweeps and reverse sweeps. Thanks to the crowd as well, and I want to thank my coach as well for helping me out," Shakeel said after the match.
Shadab(32) and Mohammad Nawaz (39) took Pakistan past 250 with a half-century stand before they lost their last four wickets for 34 runs, while De Leede and Vikramjit Singh shared a 70-run partnership from 76 balls.