Perth, 30 October 2022: After successive last-ball heartbreaks, Pakistan did what they had to in their third match – produce their A plus game – and they did exactly that when they thumped the Netherlands by six wickets with 37 balls to spare in the Group 2 Super-12 fixture of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 here on Sunday.
Fielding first, Pakistan bowled with a lot of aggression and fire, while maintaining a nagging line and length, to restrict the Dutch to 91 for nine that revolved around a 35-run fifth wicket partnership in 37 balls between Colin Ackermann (27) and Scott Edwards (15).
Lady Luck continued to desert Babar Azam in this tournament when he was run-out for four, but Mohammad Rizwan and comeback-batter Fakhar Zaman (20, 16b, 3x4) added 37 runs in 31 balls for the second wicket and then Rizwan (49, 39b, 5x4) put on run-a-ball 30 for the third wicket with Shan Masood (12) as Pakistan raced to victory in 13.5 overs.
The clinical victory meant Pakistan’s pre-match net run-rate of -0.05 has vaulted to 0.765 (behind South Africa and India). However, this will count for nothing if South Africa defeats India later in the day. And even if India beats South Africa, then Pakistan has to earn maximum points against South Africa in Sydney on Thursday and then Bangladesh in Adelaide on next Sunday to stay in contention for a place in the semifinals.
Shadab Khan, adjudged player of the match, was the most successful bowler with figures of 4-0-22-3, but the victory was set-up by the Pakistan fast bowling quartet of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Wasim Junior. The foursome returned collective match figures of 14-0-55-5.
Shaheen dispelled all concerns about his fitness when he registered figures of 4-0-19-1, Naseem Shah recorded his most economical figures in T20Is when he posted 4-0-11-1, Wasim followed up his four-fer in the previous match with 3-0-15-2 and Haris regularly clocked 140kph plus and also hit on the helmet grille of Bas de Leede (6, retired hurt) to end with 3-0-10-1.
Pakistan fielders were also sharp, indicating that the side had left behind the disappointments of the last two defeats.
In run-chase, Babar was run-out from a direct throw, Fakhar played the way he typically plays until he tried a shot one too many to be caught at the wickets by Edwards, who was also involved in the dismissal of Rizwan, while Shan was caught at third-man when the scores were tied to allow Shadab Khan to hit the winning boundary.
While Pakistan will take away a lot of positives and confidence from this match, they will be pleased, delighted and relieved with the way Shaheen Shah Afridi has continued to improve and progress, and Fakhar Zaman batted in a brief 16-ball innings, displaying sparks of brilliance. The left-hander was playing his first match since the Asia Cup final and is a linchpin of the batting line-up in white-ball cricket.
Scores in brief
Match 29 – Pakistan beat Netherlands by six wickets
Netherlands 91-9, 20 overs (Colin Ackermann 27, Scott Edwards 15; Shadab Khan 3-22, Mohammad Wasim 2-15)
Pakistan 95-4, 13.5 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 49, Fakhar Zaman 20, Shan Masood 12)
Player of the match – Shadab Khan (Pakistan)
Next match – 3 November vs South Africa, Sydney (1pm PKT)
