Pakistan vs Netherlands ODI series was set to take place in the Netherlands. The men in green were playing their first ODI match after two months. It played its last ODI series against West Indies at home. Furthermore, the underdogs got an opportunity to face one of the best sides in the world. The series took place at Rotterdam. Pakistan won the ODI series against the Netherlands by a margin of 3-0. The host side did give a tough time to the visitor at times. However, Pakistan got the better of Holland in Pakistan vs Netherlands ODI series. The star of Pakistan Babar Azam performed terrifically in the series.
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Pakistan vs Netherlands ODI Series: First Match
The first game of Pakistan vs Netherlands ODI series was played on August 21, 2022. Pakistan batted first in the innings. The pitch looked dry and Pakistan was all set to score a huge total on the board. Fakhar Zaman led the charge for Pakistan in the game. He performed astonishingly at the top order. Surely, he stabilized the innings after the fall of Imam ul Haq but also kept the run-rate cruising towards the higher side.
Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman built a partnership of 150+ runs to set Pakistan up for a huge total. The wicket of Zaman fell down on 109 runs but he made a humongous impact in the innings. He batted with a strike rate of 100 in the game. Following the wicket of his partner, Babar also returned to the pavilion on 74 runs. With the supporter of the middle-order and blistering knock of Shadab Khan, Pakistan posted a total of 314 runs on the board.
It was a huge total to chase for the host side considering the top-notch bowling line-up of Pakistan. Naseem Shah, who is the rising star of Pakistan, took the wicket of Max O’Dowd in the initial overs. Pakistan kept taking wickets at regular intervals. However, the Netherlands showed potential on the field and built a few partnerships which scared Pakistan a bit. The masterclass of Haris Rauf helped Pakistan get significant breakthroughs. Both Naseem and Haris took 3 wickets each against the Netherlands in the first ODI. The Netherlands managed to score 298 runs against Pakistan on the board and lost the game by 16 runs.
Pakistan vs Netherlands ODI Series: Second Game
Pakistan walked out at Rotterdam in the second ODI to clinch the series against the Netherlands. The host side aimed to shock the host side and made a strategy of posting a huge total on the board. The plan was affected by the unbelievable start due to the unbelievable bowling display of the Pakistani bowlers. Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah demolished the top-order of the Netherlands and it was 8 for 3. With the assistance of a few partnerships, the Netherlands tried to recover in the game. Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan demonstrated astonishing spin-bowling displays in the middle overs which did not let the Netherlands stand a chance in the innings. The Netherlands was dismissed on 186 runs against Pakistan.
Pakistan is an unpredictable side and it made sure to provide a twist in the game. The openers of the Pakistan Cricket Team returned to the pavilion on only 11 runs. However, the class of Babar was on the display again. He kept picking gaps and the star player Mohammad Rizwan gave him his full support. Following the innings of Babar, the duo of Agha and Rizwan helped Pakistan reach the finishing line against the Netherlands in the second ODI. Both Agha and Rizwan scored 50 and 69 runs respectively in the match. Pakistan won the Pakistan vs Netherlands ODI series by 2-0. Do you want to find out the chances of Pakistan winning the upcoming ODI series? If yes, you could go to the best online cricket sportsbook sites in the UK to find out the odds.
Pakistan vs Netherlands ODI Series: Final ODI
Pakistan already won the series against the host side but the final ODI served as a perfect opportunity for the visitors to perform the experiments. The men in green included Shahnawaz Dhani, Zahid Mahmood, and Abdullah Shafique in the side. The pitch at Rotterdam was slow during the third ODI. Furthermore, Pakistan was losing quick wickets against the host side. The upset seemed to be on the way. Again the captain produced a scintillating performance but the total was only 206 runs on the board. The Netherlands was all set to upset the newly shaped team of Pakistan.
The plans of the Netherlands were disturbed due to the bowling masterclass of the Pakistani bowlers. Naseem Shah remained in red hot form and produced the enthralling display in the powerplay overs. Shah took two crucial wickets of the Netherlands early. The team lost its three wickets on 37 runs. The chase was looking difficult. However, the veteran batsman Tom Cooper and the opening batsman Vikramjeet Singh built a terrific partnership of 50+ runs.
Furthermore, the circumstances were favorable for the host side to upset the Pakistan side. Then came Shah again to hurt the plans of the Netherlands side. The host side required only 56 runs in the last 10 overs. There were 5 wickets in hand. Naseem Shah took a couple of significant wickets to destroy the chase of the Netherlands. After losing a couple of wickets in quick time, the Netherlands could not stabilize their feet on the crease. Pakistan managed to take all 10 wickets of the host side. It won the contest by 9 runs.
Best Performance in Series: The Number One ODI Batsman
Babar Azam is ranked number one in the One Day International rankings. Whenever any international series is played, Azam demonstrates his potential in the series. If we talk about the statistics of Pakistan vs Netherlands ODI series, Babar has topped the chart. He has scored 222 runs with a batting average of 74.00. He batted with a strike rate of 80.72. On all three occasions, Babar failed to score the century but nevertheless, made a terrific contribution to the winning of Pakistan.
In the first ODI international, Pakistan lost an early wicket of Imam ul Haq. However, the respectable knock of 74 runs by Babar against the Netherlands helped Pakistan to reach a respectable total. The second ODI witnessed the Netherlands getting all out on 189 runs. Babar guided Pakistan towards chasing the total after scoring 57 runs in the game. In the last game, Babar was a lone warrior for the visiting side.
Undoubtedly, he stabilized the innings after Pakistan lost quick wickets in the game. Pakistan scored only 206 runs in the third One Day International against the Netherlands. However, the highlight was the performance of Babar who played a terrific knock of 91 runs in the critical circumstances.
