Bas de Leede’s all-round heroics (67 & 4/62) went in vain as Pakistan secured their first victory of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, defeating the Netherlands by 81 runs, in Hyderabad, on Friday, October 6. Netherlands managed 205 in a chase of 287.
The game began with the first delivery from Aryan Dutt challenging Fakhar Zaman’s outside edge. It spun and bounced, which in turn indicated the pitch’s suitability for slow bowlers. Aryan maintained tight lines in his initial two overs, building pressure that benefited pacer Logan van Beek. Van Beek dismissed the out-of-form opener Fakhar Zaman, caught and bowled, for a mere 12 runs in the fourth over.
Colin Ackermann then secured the prized wicket of Pakistan’s skipper, Babar Azam, who only managed five runs. Shortly after, Paul van Meekeren removed Imam-ul-Haq for 15, leaving Pakistan struggling at 38-3 within the first 10 overs.
A crucial 120-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel steadied the innings. However, within the span of 24 balls, three wickets fell for just 30 runs. Aryan returned for his second spell and deceived Shakeel, resulting in a mistimed sweep. Bas de Leede then struck twice in the same over, dismissing Rizwan (68) and Iftikhar Ahmed (9).
During a critical phase, when Pakistan faced difficulties, Mohammad Nawaz (39) and Shadab Khan (32) collaborated for a 64-run partnership for the seventh wicket. However, De Leede once again took two wickets in the same over, removing Shadab and Hasan Ali with successive deliveries.
In the 47th over, Nawaz was run out, and in the 49th over, Haris Rauf was dismissed by Ackermann, concluding Pakistan’s innings with a total of 286/10 on the board.
Netherlands’ opener Vikramjit Singh survived a few scares during the first over bowled by Shaheen Afridi. However, his opening partner, Max O’Dowd, couldn’t stay with him for long as Hasan Ali claimed the first wicket for Pakistan. Colin Ackermann, despite a brisk start, couldn’t capitalize, and the Netherlands found themselves at 50-2 after 11.1 overs, courtesy Iftikhar Ahmed’s wicket.
De Leede, batting at number 4, played some exquisite strokes while Vikramjit steadied the innings after the early wickets. Both batters notched up their respective half-centuries and stitched together a 70-run partnership. Although the partnership was growing, the required run-rate also kept climbing. In an attempt to accelerate, Vikramjit, shortly after reaching his fifty, lost his wicket to Shadab Khan, putting the Netherlands on the back foot.
However, de Leede continued to battle on as wickets fell around him. Haris, reintroduced into the attack, quickly accounted for Teja Nidamanuru and Scott Edwards in the same over with fiery deliveries. A dropped catch by Iftikhar Ahmed denied him a third wicket in the over.
Saqib Zulfiqar offered some resistance, but once he and de Leede fell in consecutive overs, the game clearly tilted in Pakistan’s favor. Logan van Beek and Paul van Meekeren played some aggressive shots to delay the inevitable, but Rauf sealed the victory by knocking over van Meekeren’s stumps.