HEADLINED by a brisk ton from opener Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan clinched a convincing victory in the first ODI against Netherlands at Rotterdam on Tuesday, even as the hosts put up a stiff challenge.
After opting to bat first, Pakistan lost Imam ul Haq early but managed to recover well through a 172-run stand for the second wicket between Zaman and Babar Azam. The former led he counterattack initially hitting the wicket-taker Vivian Kingma for three boundaries and spoiling an otherwise miserly first spell.
Zaman brought up his fifty off 66 balls before shifting gears once again. The last 43 balls he faced fetched him 59 runs as the partnership helped lay a strong foundation for Pakistan. Azam, who stuck to a steady pace all through his innings earned his 20th ODI fifty with three boundaries in an over off Tim Pringle.
Scores: Pakistan 314/6 (Fakhar Zaman 109, Babar Azam 74, Shadab Khan 48*) beat Netherlands 298/8 (Scott Edwards 71*, Vikramjit Singh 68, Tom Cooper 65; Naseem Shah 3-51) by 16 runs
The duo, however, fell in quick succession after Azam miscued a big hit, and Zaman was run out soon after going for a second run.
Pakistan were given another boost at the death when the last 25 balls fetched 48 runs. Shadab Khan and Agha Salman hit seven boundaries and two sixes in the rousing stand that helped Pakistan to 314.
In the chase, Netherlands were helped along by three fifties, and were kept in the hunt through quickfire knocks from Tom Cooper and Scott Edwards. Needing 48 from the last four overs, with the innings already in the midst of an upsurge, Netherlands faltered in the last lost two wickets in as many balls derailing the chase.
Earlier, the innings had got a foundations with opener Vikramjit Singh’s watchful 68 even as they lost three wickets at the other end. His 97-run association with Cooper first got the innings back on track. But with both falling the space of 12 balls, there was another wobble which was steadied by Edwards’ unbeaten 71.
His useful associations with the lower order took Netherlands within touching distance of the total before Pakistan pulled things back in the death overs as Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf finished with three wickets apiece.(Cricbuzz)
