Pakistan won by 81 runs in their first match of the Men’s 50-over World Cup against the Netherlands which was played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad on Friday.

The Dutch were all out for 205 in 41 overs while chasing a 287-run target.

Pacer Haris Rauf was the star performer for Pakistan. He picked up three wickets in nine overs. Hassan Ali bagged two wickets while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Shadab Khan got one wicket each.

The top order of Green Shirts failed to give a solid start to their side, as they lost three wickets in the first power play of the game. But a 120-run partnership between Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan helped them to build the momentum for a big total.

Both batters were out after making 68 runs each. King of Sultan Wasim Akram said in a private TV transmission of World Cup that the match against the Netherlands was a moment for the Babar Azam side to show the intent that would help them in the tournament.

Shakeel hit Pakistan’s second fastest fifty in 32 balls in the ODI World Cup after former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq, who hit a fifty score on 31 balls in the World Cup 1992. The middle-order batter was caught inside the circle after scoring 68 runs off 52 balls.

After Shakeel’s departure, Iftikhar Ahmed came in the middle to join Rizwan who quickly followed Shakeel after scoring 68 runs off 75 balls as Pakistan put 182 runs on the board for the loss of five wickets in 32 overs.

Pakistan was put to bat first after skipper Babar Azam lost the toss in the team’s first game against the Netherlands in the ODI World Cup on Friday.

However, Pakistan got off to a shaky start with Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, and Imam ul Haq falling in quick succession.

Conditions are expected to be dry and hot, and a high-scoring pitch is expected according to ESPNCricinfo. Although it rained in Hyderabad last week, the chance of rain today is zero.

Pakistan’s Playing XI: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan (vc), Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf.

Netherlands’ Playing XI: Vikramjit Singh, Max O’Dowd, Colin Ackermann, Bas de Leede, Teja Nidamanuru, Scott Edwards (wk)(c), Saqib Zulfiqar, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt and Paul van Meekeren

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The multilateral tournament kicked off a day earlier when defending champions England took on runner-ups of the last edition New Zealand.

The Blackcaps secured a comfortable win against England by nine wickets as they chased 283 runs target within 37 overs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra smashed centuries to power New Zealand to the victory over defending champions England in the opening match of the World Cup.