Pakistan started their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 campaign with an 81-run win over Netherlands at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad.
Fast bowler 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 Netherlands as he top-scored for his side with 67 runs after taking four wickets earlier on.
Dutch opener 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.
Pakistan’s fast bowlers, 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 apiece.
Earlier, Pakistan were bowled out for 286 in an innings that featured middle order batters Mohammad Rizwan (68) and Saud Shakeel (68). Bas de Leede returned with four wickets for Netherlands, while Colin Ackermann snapped two. Apart from Rizwan and Shakeel, Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz scored 32 and 39 runs respectively.
Fakhar Zaman (12), Imam-ul-Haq (15), and Babar Azam (5) could not last long enough in the crease, gifting their wickets so early.
Netherlands: Vikramjit Singh, Max ODowd, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (c & wk), Bas de Leede, Teja Nidamanuru, Saqib Zulfiqar, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren.
Pakistan: 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.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
