Pakistan keep semi-final hopes alive with victory over Netherlands
Pakistan’s batting again remained bleak but kept their semi-final hopes alive by registering a six-wicket win over Netherlands in the crucial T20 World Cup match here on Sunday. On the pitch of Optus Stadium, helpful for bowlers, the Netherlands team could only score 91 runs for nine wickets in front of Pakistan’s bowling.
A Netherlands batsman Bass de Leed (06) retired hurt after being hit by Haris Rauf. There was a cut under his eye. The target was not that big for Pakistan but it took them 13.5 overs to reach it despite the presence of ICC T20 ranking number one batsman Mohammad Rizwan, who scored 49 off 39 balls at a strike rate of 125.64.
Skipper Babar Azam (04) was run-out, while Fakhar Zaman (20 off 16 balls) hit three fours but was caught by captain Scott Edwards off Brandon Glover. Rizwan then led the team to victory. Bangladesh thrashed Zimbabwe by three runs in a thrilling encounter, boosting Pakistan’s chances of staying in the tournament.
Full credit for this win goes to the Pakistani bowlers who did not commit any mistake during the day. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah controlled the run-rate in the powerplay. Netherlands team could hit only five fours in 20 overs. The bowlers of the Babar Azam-led side on Sunday made it difficult for Netherlands to bat after winning the toss on a bouncy pitch in Perth.
By the ninth over, the Pakistani bowlers took three wickets for 26 runs for the Netherlands. Left-arm pacer Afridi (1 for 19) troubled the Netherlands openers with his pace and bounce, while Shadab Khan (3 for 22) created problems for them with his leg spin. Afridi gave the first blow in the third over by dismissing Stephen Mayberg, who touched his ball with the bat and caught Mohammad Wasim Jr at fine leg.
Bass de Leed had to ‘retire hurt’ in the sixth over as he suffered a cut on his face just below his right eye when a bouncing ball from Rauf (1 for 10) hit his grill. Tom Cooper and Max O’Dowd also disappointed, who fell victim to Shadab in successive overs. Colin Ackerman (27 runs) and skipper Scott Edwards (15 runs) put on a 35-run partnership to put up the best effort of the innings in which they took a couple of runs and occasionally crossed the boundary line.
He tried his best to handle in which he took a couple of runs and occasionally took the ball over the boundary line. But both returned to the pavilion in successive overs. Shadab dismissed Ackerman leg before while Edwards was caught at fine leg by Naseem Shah (1 for 11) to Iftikhar Ahmed. Half the team of Netherlands had reached the pavilion on 69 runs in the 16th over. The score was soon reduced to 73 for six when Rolf van der Merv was also dismissed by Rauf at a speed of 147 kmph.
Wasim (2 for 15) took the wickets of Tim Pringle and Fred Klaasen for two yorkers in the 19th over. On a hat-trick ball, he bowled a full length delivery to Paul Van Meeckeren who missed the leg stump. But both returned to the pavilion in successive overs. Shadab dismissed Ackerman leg before while Edwards was caught at fine leg by Naseem Shah (1 for 11) to Iftikhar Ahmed.
Half the team of Netherlands had reached the pavilion on 69 runs in the 16th over. The score was soon reduced to 73 for six when Rolf van der Merv was also dismissed by Rauf at a speed of 147 kmph. Wasim (2 for 15) took the wickets of Tim Pringle and Fred Klaasen for two yorkers in the 19th over. On a hat-trick ball, he bowled a full length delivery to Paul Van Meeckeren who missed the leg-stump.
