Pakistan overcame a slow start and early loss of an opener to beat the Netherlands by 16 runs in their first ODI on Tuesday in Rotterdam. (More Cricket News)
Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first. Only at 3-0 after four overs, it got worse for the visitors at 10-1 in six overs following Vivian Kingma’s maiden wicket which claimed Imam-ul-Haq (2) leg before wicket on referral by the Netherlands.
Opener Fakhar Zaman led the recovery with 109 runs in 109 balls, including 12 fours and a six, before he was run out.
Zaman and captain Babar Azam (74 in 85) shared a 168-run partnership for the second wicket, and Shadab Khan later smashed a 28-ball 48 not out as Pakistan posted a challenging total of 314-6. Dutch pacer Bas de Leede took 2-42 in 10 overs.
Advertisement
In reply, the Netherlands came close with 298-8. Dutch captain Scott Edwards was not out on 71 in 60 balls. Opener Vikramjit Singh and No. 5 Tom Cooper both hit 65 runs each. Cooper scored at a much faster pace, needing 54 deliveries for his 65 compared to 98 balls for Singh.
Pakistan pacers Haris Rauf (3-67) and Naseem Shah (3-51) did most of the damage. The second of three ODI matches is at Rotterdam on Thursday.
