Netherlands captain Scott Edwards won the toss and opted to bowl first against Pakistan in the second match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday. With a 6-0 advantage in head-to-head matches, Pakistan enter the match as the overwhelming favourites.
However, the dutch displayed spirited bowling to bundle Pakistan for 286. The Netherlands have been efficient in the powerplay in ODIs this year and they continued that trend, dismissing Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq within the first 10 overs. Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan have since steadied the innings for Pakistan in Hyderabad. The pair went on to dominate the Dutch for the rest of the first half of the innings, eventually getting to their respective half centuries. Shakeel got there in just 32 balls, which is the second fastest half century by any Pakistan batter in the history of he World Cup. The pair put up 120 for the fourth wicket off just 114 balls before Shakeel fell. This is a good score but Pakistan would have probably been far more comfortable if they had smashed over 350 runs with a couple of centurions. Instead, Pakistan batted to their last wicket. Netherlands and their captain Scott Edwards were excellent. He bowled as many as eight bowlers and all of them delivered some way or the other. But none more than De Leede, who ended with figures of 4/62.
