Pakistan Cricket Team Defeated Netherlands by 81 runs in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023
The Pakistan cricket team opened their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign with an 81-run victory over the Netherlands, but not before a determined Dutch side gave the Babar-led team a scare at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad. Pacer Haris Rauf took three wickets to wrap up the Dutch innings in 41 overs in the south Indian city on Friday.
All-rounder Bas de Leede shone for the Netherlands, as he is the top scorer for his side with 67 runs after taking four wickets earlier on. The opener for the Netherlands, Vikramjit Singh, scored 52 runs and was involved in a 70-run partnership with De Leede that threatened to hand Pakistan a shock loss in their first game.
The fast bowlers of the Pakistan team, including Rauf, Hasan Ali, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, took six wickets between them to give their side a winning start to the tournament. Spinners Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Mohammad Nawaz took one wicket each.
Earlier, Pakistan were bowled out for 286 in an innings that featured half-centuries from Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan.