Pakistan vs Netherlands HIGHLIGHTS, ICC World Cup 2023: PAK beats NED by 81 runs in Hyderabad

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Babar Azam’s Indian superfan Alaysha makes 850-km journey from Bhopal to Hyderabad to watch Pakistan captain in action

Alaysha’s phone sports a picture of Azam on the backside, and such is the adulation that she has cut-outs and a dedicated Instagram account where she posts updates of the Pakistan team. 

Rauf tries to force his way through with pace but the batters cling on with a couple of singles. Rauf to van Meekeren, OUT! He zips one in and uproots the leg-stump and lets out a huge roar at the batter. van Meekeren cannot help but have a chuckle as Pakistan eventually earns an 81-run win.

Hasan feeds length and van Beek pumps the ball down the ground for FOUR. In the slot and van Beek smokes it over the bowler for another FOUR.

Rauf bangs one short to van Meekeren and rushes in to have a few words. He continues to crank it up and beat the outside-edge on a couple of times. Rauf overpitches and van Meekeren creams it through point for FOUR. That’s one way to respond.

Hasan to Aryan, OUT! He knocks down the stumps. Slides one in and sharply and the ball deflects off the pads to the wickets. Just a matter of formality now before Pakistan shuts this down. Van Meekeren in at 11.

Aryan Dutt b Hasan Ali 1 (2b)

Shadab lands one in the slot and van Beek bends low and pumps it over wide long-on for SIX.

Nawaz continues to maintain a tight line of attack around the stumps. A couple of singles in the over. Run out, surely? Looks like van der Merwe is on his way. Sets off on a quick single by pushing to cover but is duly sent back. van der Merwe stretches hard but fails to make ground.

Roelof van der Merwe run out (Babar Azam/†Mohammad Rizwan) 4 (7b)

Length outside the off-stump and van Beek drives the ball through point for two runs. Seems like he is struggling with his leg. As he limps through the second run. Shaheen strays to the pads and van Beek flicks it fine past square-leg for FOUR. A single to follow. A rip-snorter from Shaheen floors van der Merwe. He still manages to upper-cut the ball as he arches back and lands flat on the pitch

Nawaz to de Leede, OUT! Cleaned him up. I’m afraid that’s the end of the road for the Dutch? Perhaps not, for Logan van Beek, the miracle man walks in at 9.

Bas de Leede b Mohammad Nawaz 67 (68b 6x4 2x6)

Shaheen to Zulfiqar, OUT! A searing full delivery has him plumb in front. Shaheen leaps in jubilation and in comes Roelof van der Merwe at no. 8. He is off the blocks with a single. Full, angling in and de Leede drives it gorgeously past mid-on for FOUR. Classic.

Saqib Zulfiqar lbw b Shaheen Shah Afridi 10 (18b 1x4)

Nawaz drops short and Zulfiqar drags it over mid-wicket for FOUR. Six from the over as the Dutch continue to fight on.

Shaheen replaces Rauf. He comes around the wicket. He darts in a toe-crusher that has de Leede limping but the umpire denies a leg-before, perhaps sliding down leg.

Width on offer from Shadab and de Leede slices it through third for FOUR. Is that stumped? A classic leg-break turns away past the outside-edge from length as Bas moves forward and Rizwan flicks the bails. Has Bas dragged his foot back in time? NOT OUT, says the third-umpire as Bas makes some ground before the lights flash. Impressive lengths from Shadab and Bas prods forward to play out the over.

Saqib taps Rauf to point and sets off on a quick single. Rauf fires one in over de Leede’s shoulder and exchanges a few words in the follow through. What a riposte! Another bumper outside the off-stump and de Leede wallops it from his presence for SIX over mid-wicket and offers a smile to the bowler.

FIFTY for de Leede off 50 balls. Sharp turn from length for Shadab and he rushes one past Zulfiqar’s outside-edge.

FOUR! Short from Rauf and pulled to the fine-leg boundary by Teja for a one-bounce four. OUT! Short again and this is pulled straight to the deep square-leg fielder. Captain Scott Edwards comes in and has a big task at hand. OUT! Captain goes for a duck. The ball seams in sharply and hits Edwards on the flap of the front pad. He reviews the decision but all red on screen and Netherlands also loses the review. DROPPED! Zulfiqar gets an outside edge to the slip first ball and Iftikhar drops possibly the easiest catch one could ask for in the cordon. Rauf is on his knees and can’t believe it.

A couple for De Leede to start this Shadab over at deep extra cover. He then dabs to short third for a quick single. Teja is off the mark with a single off his seventh ball. Four runs from the over.

FOUR! De Leede leans into this straight drive past the bowler and the ball races to the boundary. Fullish on the pads now and flicked to midwicket. Teja is beaten by this length delivery outside off at 147 kmph and is yet to get off the mark. Driven straight to cover by Teja to end the over.

Shadab bowls his fourth. Tossed up delivery is flicked through square-leg by Vikramjit for a couple. Punched off the backfoot for a single at midwicket and that’s a brilliant 65-ball fifty for Vikramjit Singh. OUT! He goes for 52 as he plays a tired pull shot that is taken at deep midwicket. Finally some success for Shadab. Teja Nidamanuru is the next man in. Beaten! This is a ripper and beats Teja’s forward defensive press.

Rauf is back. Length outside off and De Leede defends with a straight bat. Dabbed to backward point by De Leede for a single. Vikramjit stays leg side of the ball and chops this to mid-on for a quick single. Bouncer and it goes over De Leede’s attempted pull. FOUR! Short again and this time De Leede gets a top edge on the pull and it runs away for a four behind the keeper. Now it is full and driven back down the ground.

Shadab again. This flies off the outside edge of Vikramjit’s blade as he looks to swipe this on leg-side. Just four runs from the over.

FOUR! De Leede goes deep in his crease and cuts this behind point to bring up 100 for Netherlands in 20.1 overs and also the 50-run partnership. This full ball is drilled down the wicket by Vikramjit after he steps out but stopped by mid-off. Vikramjit miscues a pull and it falls just beyond the midwicket fielder for a single.

Shadab here. Driven aerially over extra-cover by De Leede for a single. This is punched by Vikramjit to cover for a dot ball. Another aerial hoick and goes to long-on on the bounce for a single. Driven through point for another one by De Leede. This one is going down leg and called wide. SIX! That was a bolt from the blue. Short and Vikramjit rocks back and pulls this over midwicket for a maximum.

Nawaz to continue. De Leede first tries to guide the ball past short third but it is stopped by the fielder. He then cuts to deep point for a single. Loud appeal for LBW as Vikramjit misses this flick on leg off this straight delivery. Pakistan goes up for the review. This was pitching on middle and leg and spinning into the left-hander so probably missing leg-stump. The ball is missing the wickets and Pakistan has lost a review.

Shadab Khan comes into the attack. Tossed up on middle and driven through covers de de Leede for one. Vikramjit tucks this off the hips for one more. Cut away through point by de Leede and Fakhar throws himself at the boundary to keep it down to a couple.

Nawaz continues. Vikramjit turns this off his hips off the backfoot for a single at backward square-leg. SIX! De Leede steps out and launches this over wide long-off for half a dozen! Full now and flicked off the frontfoot for a couple through midwicket. Single to end the over.

FOUR! De Leede steps out and drills this over the bowler’s head and down the ground for a boundary. A couple of singles off the next two deliveries and strike rotation was something that was missing in the last few overs. Sweep from Vikramjit and misfielded at midwicket to allow a couple of runs. Ten runs from the over.

Here comes Mohammad Nawaz. Vikramjit paddle sweeps this fine for a single. Just two singles from that over and the required rate is close to touching 6.5 rpo.

De Leede cuts this off the backfoot behind point for a couple. This is pushed aerially through a vacant mid-on for one more. Accurate over from the off-spinner. Just four runs from it.

Rauf will continue. Play and a miss! Shortish outside and Vikramit misses looking to play this to fine-leg. Beaten! He slashes hard this time outside off and misses again. Fullish and Rauf follows him on leg-stump line and defended by Vikramjit on leg-side. Length on middle and guided to point for a quick single. De Leede gets an inside edge on his pads as he looks to defend this straightish delivery. Pushed through covers off the backfoot for a single and De Leede will keep strike.

Iftikhar Ahmed into the attack. OUT! He strikes first ball. Full and straight and Ackermann play a premeditated shot. He moves across and looks to sweep this fine and misses only to see his stumps shattered. Bas de Leede is in next. He is off the mark with a tight single.

Rauf continues. Ackermann gets an inside edge that goes to square-leg for a single. One more for Vikramjit next ball at third man. Fifty runs up for Netherlands in 10.4 runs. Rauf darts in a menacing bouncer and Vikramjit takes evasive action.

Slower one angling down leg and wide called. FOUR! Length ball outside off and Ackermann spanks that through extra-cover for a boundary. Hasan goes for the bouncer a couple of deliveries later and called wide for height. Length ball angling in and pushed to mid-on by Ackermann for a single.

Haris Rauf into the attack. Length ball on off and Vikramjit solidly defends this on off-side. Angling in on the pads and flicked for a single. FOUR! Finally a boundary for the Dutch. Ackermann flashes his bat at this outside off stump delivery and sends it crashing through point with minimal footwork.

Hasan to bowl his fourth over. Four dot balls to start with and they are piling up now. FOUR! Slower one and Ackermann places this through short cover and mid-off to get his first boundary.

Afridi again. Desperate LBW appeal as this nips in and takes the inside edge on the way to Vikramjit’s pads. Full and pushed down the ground by Vikramjit for a single. Ackermann is off the mark with a single as he pushes this through covers. Bottom edge as Vikramjit looks to chop this on the off-side.

Hasan will continue. OUT! O’Dowd has pulled this short delivery straight to the fine-leg fielder. Colin Ackermann comes in next. Outside edge and short of the slip fielder! That could have been a double wicket maiden.

Afridi to continue. Vikramjit defends the first two balls solidly. This one is tapped to the point fielder. Three dots in a row in this over. FOUR! Length ball outside off and Vikramjit slashes this hard and the ball goes over the infield and the boundary. Bouncer to follow that boundary and left alone. FOUR! What a riposte from Vikramjit. Length outside off and Vikramjit just pushes it through the gap on the off-side for his second boundary in the over.

Hasan to continue. FOUR! Shortish outside off and punched by O’Dowd past point for a boundary. This is going down leg and wide called. On a length outside off and left alone by O’Dowd. The next one nips back in and hits him high on the thigh pad. Four dot balls to end the over.

Shaheen to continue. O’Dowd is off the mark with a single as he clips this full ball to mid-on and hares for a single. Full and outside off and Vikramjit drives this square for a couple. Crisply driven again but a brilliant save by Babar at point. FOUR! Width again outside off and this is slashed hard behind point and no stopping this. Low full toss now outside off and Vikramjit gets the toe end of the bat on that one and the ball just bounces off the pitch. Beaten! This nips back in and Vikramjit has no clue as the ball whizzes past the edge.

Hasan Ali from the other end. He starts off with a leg-stump line and keeps it back of a length. FOUR! Back of a length again on leg-stump and Vikramjit clips it off his pads and over midwicket and to the boundary. This one is full and straight and driven back by Vikramjit.

Vikramjit Singh and Max O’Dowd will open the innings for Netherlands. Shaheen Afridi has the new ball. Tight first over, save for the last ball of the over, which is full outside off. Vikramjit pushes it through covers for a three.

As hardwired a Pakistan outfit it can be. Pakistan’s top-order went crashing down in a matter of moments against a spirited new-ball showing. Babar Azam, the world no. 1 batter in the format, allowed the pressure of dot balls to get to him, leaving Pakistan three down within the first PP. If that was not enough to spice things up, an umpiring gaffe with a five-ball over (14th) made things worse. A rearguard was set up with fifties from Rizwan and Saud Shakeel. However, the Dutch were nagging and succeeded once again. Bas de Leede picked up four wickets but Pakistan marked a semblance of a comeback with its lower-order batters Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz chipping in with valuable thirties. 286 should be enough for a firm Pakistan bowling attack. But can you ever get your predictions bang on with this mercurial team?

Ackermann goes full and straight. Rauf flicks it behind square for four. Loose delivery on length outside the off-stump and Rauf dismisses it from his presence with a fierce slog-sweep for SIX. OUT! Gone this time. He steps out for a rash heave and Rauf misses the ball altogether. Regulation stumping for Edwards and Pakistan folds at 286.

Haris Rauf st †Edwards b Ackermann 16 (14b 2x4 1x6)

de Leede continues. Can he bag a five-wicket haul? Short ball outside the off-stump and Rauf swats the ball down the ground for FOUR.

Shaheen taps Ackermann towards mid-on and sets off on a single but there’s a mix-up in the middle. OUT! Direct hit from O’Dowd at the striker’s end and Nawaz falls short after attempting a late scramble. Haris Rauf is the last man. He plays out four dots.

Mohammad Nawaz run out (O’Dowd) 39 (43b 4x4

de Leede strays to the pads and Shaheen flicks it fine for FOUR. A couple of single sto follow. Pakistan slowly getting to a stable mark.

Dutt goes short and Nawaz works it through the on-side for a single. Dutt tosses one on length outside the off-stump and finds some turn. Shaheen opens the face of the bat and guides it past short-third for FOUR. Straighter lines and Shaheen blocks them out to save his pads. A single to follow.

de Leede to Shadab, OUT! Undone by a straight deliver. A slower-ball dips in and moves gently towards the leg-stump and Shadab plays all around it. Hasan Ali is in at 9. de Leede hits high on the pads, loud shout and given! The umpire raises his finger. Hasan reviews but this in fact looks plumb, crashing into the middle-stump. THREE REDS and de Leede has his fourth wicket! He’s on a hat-trick and Shaheen Afridi comes out at 10.

Attempted yorker and Shaheen digs it out from outside the off-stump.

Shadab Khan b de Leede 32 (34b 2x4 1x6)

Dutt continues from around the wicket. A couple of dots before a pronounced round-arm delivery concedes a single. Dutt sprays one outside the off-stump and Shadab slaps the ball through cover for FOUR.

Loose delivery from de Leede outside the off-stump and Nawaz slices the ball behind point for FOUR. A slew of singles to follow. de Leede sends in an off-cutter but Nawaz drills the low full-toss through mid-off for FOUR.

Nawaz and Shadab put pressure on the fielders with some inspired running. Ackermann’s lines are briefly disrupted as six runs come off the over.

van Meekeren sends in a sharp off-cutter that seams in past Shadab’s inside-edge onto the keeper. A couple of dots to follow. van Meekeren sends in a slower-bouncer called wide.

Fraction short from Ackermann and Shadab wallops the ball over a diving deep mid-wicket fielder for SIX.

van der Merwe loops one in and Shadab nearly chips the ball on the full to long-off. A string of singles to follow. Nawaz sets off on a quick single with a tap to the on-side. Direct hit at the non-striker’s but he makes ground easily.

Ackermann finds some decent turn off the pitch and he mixes up his lengths well. Nawaz and Shadab continue to reel in singles.

van der Merwe into the attack. Nawaz and Shadab continue to tap into the gaps for singles. The bowlers are not giving much away at the moment, four from the over.

This is turning out to be a superb spell by Ackermann. Nawaz and Shadab find a coupe o singles but Ackermann maintains a leash over the batters. Just two from it.

de Leede bangs in short and Shadab helps it across down to fine leg for FOUR.

Ackermann constricts Nawaz with a flat, sharp line. He can’t get a move and concedes a maiden.

de Leede hits length and Rizwan leans into a superb drive down the ground for FOUR. de Leede to Rizwan, OUT! Bowled him! That’s a fine comeback with the off-cutter jagging back in to hit the off-stump. Rizwan is flummoxed and Pakistan has last half it s men. Mohammed Nawaz is in at 7. Low full toss from de Leede and Nawaz pushes the ball through mid-off for FOUR. A single to follow. de Leede to Iftikhar, OUT! Edged and taken! Another slower delivery and Iftikhar’s attempted slice takes the outside-edge to the keeper. Pakistan is frittering away in a flash!

Mohammad Rizwan b de Leede 68 (75b 8x4); Iftikhar Ahmed c †Edwards b de Leede 9 (11b 1x4)

Dutt goes short but Iftikhar brings out a pre-meditated sweep for FOUR. The batters continue to find the singles, not allowing Netherlands to build the pressure on.

Van Meekeren hits length and Rizwan ramps the ball behind the keeper for FOUR. Positive running between the wickets and the batters reel in six more runs.

Dutt to Saud, OUT! Gone! A tame little chip flies straight to short mid-wicket. A nothing short from Saud as he gets a leading edge on a floater. Iftikhar Ahmed is in at 6. He’s off the mark with a single. Rizwan taps one back. Three dots to follow as Dutt cramps up Iftikhar with a straight line.

Saud Shakeel c Saqib Zulfiqar b Dutt 68 (52b 9x4 1x6)

Van Meekeren continues to cramp up the batters. Another tight over with just three runs from it. Netherlands whipping up some pressure here. Is a wicket around the corner?

Saqib tosses one outside the off-stump and Saud brings out the reverse-sweep for FOUR. Three singles to follow as Pakistan continues to build on.

FIFTY up for Rizwan with a single. Van Beek hits a firm line. The batters steer through with a slew of singles.

Saqib Zulfiqar into the attack. FOUR! Deftly dabbed by Shakeel to the third man boundary as he waits for the ball and plays it off the backfoot. Very wide outside off and Shakeel jumps across and flicks it through leg-side for a single. Cut away by Rizwan for a single.

Van Beek returns. Guided to third man by Shakeel for a single. One more for Rizwan next ball as he flicks it to square-leg. A couple of dot balls to follow before Shakeel runs one down to deep third for a single.

Vikramjit will continue. Full outside off and pushed through covers by Shakeel for a single. Full and angling in on the legs, driven down the ground by Rizwan for a single. FOUR! Too full outside off now and Shakeel gets one knee down and drills this over mid-off for a boundary. FOUR! Full again outside off and shovelled to the long-off boundary for four more. Fifty for Shakeel off 32 balls with a flick off the pads. That’s the second fastest fifty for Pakistan batter in World Cups. Inzamam-ul-Haq holds the record for the fastest.

Flighted on off by van der Merwe and pushed by Rizwan to long-off for a single. FOUR! Shakeel steps out and chips this over the infield and gets a boundary at midwicket. A no-ball is also called as Netherlands have an extra fielder outside the circle. SIX! In the hitting arc and Shakeel clubs this over midwicket for a maximum. This could be the over that decisively shifts the momentum in Pakistan’s favour. Three singles and a dot to end the over.

Vikramjit Singh into the attack. Full on the pads and Rizwan whips it to the midwicket fielder. Full on the stumps and Rizwan drives this back to the bowler. Thekeeper now comes up to the stumps. FOUR! Rizwan releases the pressure of three dot balls with a boundary through extra-cover. This is too full on the legs and flicked for a single by Rizwan and he will keep strike.

Hundred up for Pakistan in 19.3 overs. Three singles from the over and Pakistan is slowly recovering from that initial stutter.

FOUR! Driven down the ground by Rizwan as de Leede overpitches. Eight runs from the over.

Van der Merwe continues. A couple of singles off the first three balls of the over. Merwe is going the ball some flight in this over. FOUR! This is swept away by Rizwan with authority to the square-leg boundary. That brings up the 50-run partnership between Rizwan and Shakeel.

De Leede continues. A short one strays down leg-side and called wide. Accurate over from de Leede. Keeps it on a probing length outside off.

Roelof van der Merwe into the attack. On the money straight away from round the wicket to Shakeel. Full on the stumps and defended back. The next one is pushed down the ground for a single. Rizwan presses forward to defend this back to the bowler. Pushed down the ground to long-on for one off the next ball. Tossed up on off and Shakeel defends on off-side. Driven down the ground for one more and three from it.

Bas de Leede into the attack. FOUR! Full on the legs and Shakeel lifts this over mid-on for a boundary. The last ball of the over is cut away behind point for a single.

FOUR! Short from van Meekeren and this is a flat-batted pull by Shakeel that sends the ball racing to the square-leg boundary. A slight shift in momentum now.

Dutt continues. FOUR! Short and pulled away by Rizwan to the boundary at wide long-on. The last two overs have been good for Pakistan and Rizwan seems to be coming into his own.

FOUR! Full and pushed down the ground for a boundary by Rizwan. Finally a convincing shot by a Pakistani batter today. Shortish and pulled away by Rizwan at deep square for two more. This is nudged by Rizwan through square-leg for a single. Shakeel drives down the ground for two more.

Dutt comes back. A slip in place again for him. The midwicket fielder was pushed back to the boundary but the bowler asks him to come back inside the circle. Netherlands in attack mode. FOUR! Close and this goes off the inside edge of Rizwan and past the keeper for a boundary. Pakistan living dangerously here. FOUR! That should have been taken at slip! Turning away and Shakeel got an outside edge as he looked to play this behind point. The slip fielder is unable to get down in time and that runs away to the boundary.

OUT! More trouble for Pakistan as Paul van Meekeren picks a wicket off the first ball of the over. Imam pulls this short one straight to deep fine-leg. Saud Shakeel the new man in and will now have his task cut out. FOUR! Lucky boundary for Shakeel. Cross seam delivery on off-stump, angling away and the ball goes off the shoulder of the bat and to the boundary behind. Shakeel drives this full delivery through covers but a brilliant dive stops the ball from going to the boundary.

Pakistan is in trouble across tournaments. Afghanistan has just stunned Pakistan in the Asian Games semifinal and will join India in the final.

Colin Ackermann now into the attack. A couple of dots to start his spell. OUT! A rank long-hop and Babar rocks back and pulls this straight into the hands of midwicket. A huge wicket for the Dutch and Pakistan in trouble now. Muhammad Rizwan comes in. He is off the blocks quicky, with two consecutive couples.

Babar Azam c Zulfiqar b Ackermann 5 (18b)

Van Beek to continue. Imam cuts and finds point again. He is just not able to find the gaps today. FOUR! He finds the gap next ball as he leans into the drive through covers. He defends this length ball on off and scampers through for a quick single. Babar tucks one off his hips for a single behind square.

Another over for Dutt. A short mid-on in place in catching position. Short and going down leg. Babar misses the pull and called wide. Spinning into Babar this one and going further down leg-side, another wide ball. Length on off now and punched by Babar to the cover fielder. This one spins in sharply and the extra bounce also surprises Babar a bit. Two solid defensive shots from Babar and the slip has now been removed. Cut away last ball of the over by Babar for a couple.

Van Beek again. Imam cuts this straight to the point fielder. Beaten! Angles away further after pitching on middle and off and beats Imam’s prod. FOUR! Full and angling away and Imam drives this behind point for a boundary. Too full on the pads and whipped away by Imam for a couple more. Slightly shorter this time and closer to off-stump and Imam leaves.

Dutt continues. Babar presses forward to defend this back to the bowler. LBW appeal and turned down! Babar stepped forward to get outside the line of the stumps and missed this flick on leg-side. Impact was surely outside off but Netherlands is asking some tough questions already! After four dots, Babar pushes this to long-on for a single. Pushed by Imam to long-off for one more to end the over.

van Beek starts the over with a slower bouncer that’s wide outside off and Fakhar lets it go. Length on leg-stump and whipped to midwicket by Fakhar for a dot ball. Length on middle and off now and angling away; pushed to cover. OUT! Another failure for Fakhar as he plops a simple catch back to the bowler. Length just outside off to Babar and he plays this on leg-side. He is off the mark with a single next ball.

Dutt continues. A couple of dot balls to start the over. Beaten! The third ball turns away and beats Imam’s outside edge as he presses forward to defend. Close to off-stump and Imam is cramped trying to cut. Full on the legs and flicked behind square by Imam for a couple.

Logan van Beek from the other end. Imam is off the mark first ball with a single as he pushes a full delivery to mid-on. FOUR! Lucky Fakhar. This took the leading edge as he closed the bat face to play this on leg-side but the ball flew over point and raced to the boundary. FOUR! Fakhar finds the gap this time intentionally. Full on leg and Fakhar flicks this off the front-foot and through midwicket. Fakhar misses a flick and van Beek appeals but this was pitching on leg and probably going down further.

Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman walk out to the middle after we are done with the national anthems. There will be pressure on this opening duo. The Dutch are starting proceedings with a spinner. A slip is in place for Fakhar, who is on strike. Aryan Dutt with the ball. Here we go!

Full and beaten first ball! The new ball turns away a touch and beats Fakhar’s outside edge. Full again and this is tapped on the off-side. Length ball this one and bunted on the off-side again by Fakhar. Cut away but straight to point. Four dot balls to start with. Fullish again and Fakhar defends this on the off-side and wants a quick single but is sent back. FOUR! Boundary to end the over as Fakhar guides this behind point for four.

The teams have lined up for the anthems at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The match officials walk out as the World Cup trophy awaits them at the centre. It’s the Dutch anthem first up.

Netherlands Playing XI: Vikramjit Singh, Max O’Dowd, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (wk) (c), Bas de Leede, Teja Nidamanuru, Saqib Zulfiqar, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren.

Pakistan Playing XI: Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf.

Babar Azam: We will try our best with the bat. We believe in our openers, Imam and Fakhar. Shaheen [Afridi] is there as well. Hasan [Ali] is back in the side. We are looking at 290-300 plus.

Scott Edwards: We will bowl first, might get a little bit easier under lights. We got some quality bowlers and spinners who can bowl in the PowerPlay. For us, it’s about adjusting and seeing how the pitch is playing.

Captain Babar Azam confirms that Hasan Ali will play today and that Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq will open the batting.

Scott Edwards has won the toss and the Dutch have put Pakistan in to bat.

The square boundaries are 63m and 65m and the straight boundary is 75m. Shane Watson says it looks like a good batting surface again and the pitch is rock hard. There could be a little purchase for bowlers, however. Teams would want to bat second, Watson says.

Batting first won - 8

Batting second won - 6

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1996: Pakistan won by eight wickets (Lahore)

2003: Pakistan won by 97 runs (Paarl)

Matches played: 6

Pakistan won: 6

Netherlands won: 0

Last result: Pakistan won by nine runs (Rotterdam; Aug. 2022)

Pakistan, which may have lost the two warm-up matches against New Zealand and Australia, will be a different proposition altogether when the Netherlands takes on the former champion in their first match of the ICC World Cup 2023 opener at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Thursday.

Given the fact that Babar Azam-led Pakistan arrived in the city much before many teams entered India and are quite familiar with playing conditions, which many cricketers felt were similar to those back home.

It is stressing the obvious that Babar has to lead from the front if Pakistan wants to make an emphatic statement in its World Cup opener and hopes that the other big names would strike it big.

Significantly, in the two warm-up games Pakistan played at this venue, the batters looked in fine touch with wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan scoring a century against New Zealand and Babar once again showcasing his class even as the others like Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz and Saud Shakeel showed potential to play big knocks.

But, it is the bowling which can be a major concern for Pakistan, especially in batter-friendly conditions. The pitch for tomorrow’s game is expected to be similar to the warm-up games.

This also means that Pakistan has an opportunity to get its confidence back with a worthy performance against Netherlands.

The pace attack has depth and variety and Pakistan badly needs it to live up to the potential to ensure a grand start.

On the other hand, coach Ryan Cook should be hoping that all the pre-World Cup preparations in Bengaluru will prove to be worthy.

Netherlands’ plans to get a feel and make a critical analysis of its readiness to take on the big guns in the World Cup were flattened when its warm-up game against India was washed out in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Dutch are short of match practice, not having played any international cricket after making the cut for this World Cup in July, edging out two-time champion West Indies.

The primary target of captain and hard-hitting batter, Scott Edwards would be to search for that elusive win in what would be the team’s fifth appearance in a World Cup.

A lot depends on players like Edwards, Logan van Beek, Paul van Meekeran and Bas de Leede if the Dutch are to make a serious impact in this World Cup.

Pakistan: 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.

Netherlands: 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.

The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 match between Pakistan and Netherlands will be telecast LIVE on the Star Sports Network from 2:00 PM IST. The match will also be LIVE streamed on the Disney+Hotstar app and website.