In the electrifying clash between Pakistan and Netherlands at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, fans witnessed a roller-coaster of emotions as both teams battled it out on the pitch. Here’s a breakdown of the key moments and standout performances that defined this nail-biting encounter.

Early Ups and Downs

The match kicked off with a solid start from Netherlands’ openers, facing Pakistan’s formidable pace attack. However, Hasan Ali’s breakthrough by dismissing Max O’Dowd set the tone. Colin Ackermann showed promise, but spinner Iftikhar Ahmed had other plans, sending him back. Bas de Leede’s brilliant bowling limited Pakistan to 286 runs, but not without a fight from Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel.

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Scorecard of Pakistan and Netherlands innings:

Pakistan Innings

Batsman	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	6s	SR
Fakhar Zaman	c & b van Beek	12	15	3	0	80.00
Imam-ul-Haq	c Dutt b van Meekeren	15	19	2	0	78.94
Babar Azam (c)	c Saqib Zulfiqar b Ackermann	5	18	0	0	27.77
Mohammad Rizwan †	b de Leede	68	75	8	0	90.66
Saud Shakeel	c Saqib Zulfiqar b Dutt	68	52	9	1	130.76
Iftikhar Ahmed	c †Edwards b de Leede	9	11	1	0	81.81
Mohammad Nawaz	run out (van Meekeren/Ackermann)	39	43	4	0	90.69
Shadab Khan	b de Leede	32	34	2	1	94.11
Hasan Ali	lbw b de Leede	0	1	0	0	0.00
Shaheen Shah Afridi	not out	13	12	2	0	108.33
Haris Rauf	st †Edwards b Ackermann	16	14	2	1	114.28

Extras: (nb 1, w 8) 9
Total: 286 (49 overs, RR: 5.83)
Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Fakhar Zaman, 3.4 ov), 2-34 (Babar Azam, 8.3 ov), 3-38 (Imam-ul-Haq, 9.1 ov), 4-158 (Saud Shakeel, 28.1 ov), 5-182 (Mohammad Rizwan, 31.3 ov), 6-188 (Iftikhar Ahmed, 31.6 ov), 7-252 (Shadab Khan, 43.4 ov), 8-252 (Hasan Ali, 43.5 ov), 9-267 (Mohammad Nawaz, 46.2 ov), 10-286 (Haris Rauf, 48.6 ov)

Bowling:

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	Economy Rate	Extras
Aryan Dutt	10	0	48	1	4.80	2
Logan van Beek	6	0	30	1	5.00	1
Colin Ackermann	8	1	39	2	4.87	0
Paul van Meekeren	6	0	40	1	6.66	2
Bas de Leede	9	0	62	4	6.88	3
Roelof van der Merwe	6	0	36	0	6.00	1
Vikramjit Singh	2	0	16	0	8.00	0
Saqib Zulfiqar	2	0	15	0	7.50	0

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Netherlands Innings

Batsman	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	6s	SR
Vikramjit Singh	c Fakhar Zaman b Shadab Khan	52	67	4	1	77.61
Max O’Dowd	c Shaheen Shah Afridi b Hasan Ali	5	12	1	0	41.66
Colin Ackermann	b Iftikhar Ahmed	17	21	3	0	80.95
Bas de Leede	b Mohammad Nawaz	67	68	6	2	98.52
Teja Nidamanuru	c Fakhar Zaman b Haris Rauf	5	9	1	0	55.55
Scott Edwards (c)†	lbw b Haris Rauf	0	2	0	0	0.00
Saqib Zulfiqar	lbw b Shaheen Shah Afridi	10	18	1	0	55.55
Roelof van der Merwe	run out (Babar Azam/†Mohammad Rizwan)	4	7	0	0	57.14
Logan van Beek	not out	28	28	3	1	100.00
Aryan Dutt	b Hasan Ali	1	2	0	0	50.00
Paul van Meekeren	b Haris Rauf	7	12	1	0	58.33

Extras: (w

9) 9
Total: 205 (41 overs, RR: 5.00)
Fall of wickets: 1-28 (Max O’Dowd, 5.5 ov), 2-50 (Colin Ackermann, 11.1 ov), 3-120 (Vikramjit Singh, 23.5 ov), 4-133 (Teja Nidamanuru, 26.2 ov), 5-133 (Scott Edwards, 26.4 ov), 6-158 (Saqib Zulfiqar, 32.1 ov), 7-164 (Bas de Leede, 33.2 ov), 8-176 (Roelof van der Merwe, 35.6 ov), 9-184 (Aryan Dutt, 37.1 ov), 10-205 (Paul van Meekeren, 40.6 ov)

Bowling:

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	Economy Rate	Extras
Shaheen Shah Afridi	7	0	37	1	5.28	2
Hasan Ali	7	1	33	2	4.71	4
Haris Rauf	9	0	43	3	4.77	2
Iftikhar Ahmed	3	0	16	1	5.33	0
Mohammad Nawaz	7	0	31	1	4.42	1
Shadab Khan	8	0	45	1	5.62	2

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Rizwan and Shakeel Shine

Netherlands dominated the initial overs, even sending skipper Babar Azam back to the pavilion. Yet, Rizwan and Shakeel orchestrated a remarkable partnership, steering Pakistan back from the brink. Their resilience and determination stabilized the innings, transforming the game’s momentum in Pakistan’s favor.

Netherlands’ Brave Effort

Despite their best efforts, Netherlands succumbed at 205 runs. Bas de Leede’s notable 67 and Vikramjit Singh’s 52 showcased their fighting spirit. However, Pakistan’s pace duo, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali, proved too strong. The star of the match was undoubtedly Saud Shakeel, earning the Player of the Match title for his brilliant 68 off 52 balls. His positive approach, improved shots, and bravery turned the game around, leaving fans in awe.

In the end, Pakistan emerged victorious, defeating Netherlands by 81 runs. The match was a testament to the spirit of cricket, showcasing talent, determination, and the unpredictable nature of the game.