ROTTERDAM: Pakistan yesterday outclassed Netherlands by 16 runs and lead the three match series by 1-0. The hosts displayed A-game as they gave a solid fight back to Men in Green who hardly save the first game of series. Set to chase a big total of 315 runs, the Netherlands lost a couple of wickets earlier but opener Vikramjit Singh and Tom Cooper rescued the home side. Earlier, Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman and skipper Babar Azam led the innings as Men in Green posted a big score of 314 for 6 in the first ODI against the Netherlands. 

Team Green lost quick wickets before Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam had put on a strong partnership for the first game against the Netherlands. Star player Babar Azam departed after scoring 74 runs, while Fakhar slammed a ton with 109. Earlier, the duo had added 168 runs for the second wicket for the visitors. After opting to bat first, the Babar-led squad was off to a slow start as they scored mere two runs in three overs. Later, Imam-ul-Haq was dismissed in the sixth over of the innings. Vice-captain Shadab Khan, debutant Salman Ali Aga also contributed with 48 and 27 respectively to guide Men in Green to 314/6. Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first in the first game of the three-match ODI series at the Hazelaarweg, Rotterdam. Pakistan's most recent white-ball contest was a three-match ODI series against West Indies that the Green Shirts won 3-0. The first-ever bilateral series between Pakistan and Netherlands is part of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League where the visiting side occupies fifth spot with 90 points. 

Babar’s side will be aiming to win all three matches to grab second position in the points table. A couple of milestones are on the cards for Pakistan’s premier players. Number one ranked ODI player Babar Azam needs one more century to become the only Pakistan captain to score 10 tons in international cricket. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan requires 18 more runs to complete 1,000 ODI runs.

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 17 2022

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