Netherlands were bowled out for 147 runs in 19.5 overs against Pakistan after a late collapse. The innings had a strong start but ended poorly. Pakistan’s disciplined bowling and sharp fielding made the difference.
The Dutch openers Max O’Dowd and Michael Levitt began confidently. Levitt attacked early and looked aggressive. He hit 3 fours and 1 six. Netherlands reached 28 without loss. The first breakthrough came when Salman Mirza dismissed Max O’Dowd for 5. Soon after, Mohammad Nawaz removed Michael Levitt for 24 off 15 balls. Despite losing both openers, Netherlands reached 50 runs in 6 overs.
After the powerplay, Colin Ackermann and Bas de Leede tried to steady the innings. Ackermann played freely and struck four boundaries. He scored 20 off 14 balls before being bowled by Abrar Ahmed. Bas de Leede continued the scoring. He looked confident against spin and pace. De Leede made 30 runs from 25 balls with four fours. Just when Netherlands were building momentum, he was caught by Babar Azam off Mohammad Nawaz.
At this point, Netherlands were in a good position. Scott Edwards, the captain, was batting well. He handled spin with ease. He used the sweep shot effectively. Edwards played a calm innings and scored 37 off 29 balls. He hit three fours and one six. This was the highest score of the innings. Netherlands were 127 for 4 and looking set for a strong finish.
The match changed completely after Edwards’ dismissal. Abrar Ahmed got him out with extra bounce. The catch was taken near the boundary. From there, Netherlands lost control. The batting collapsed quickly.
The lower order failed to contribute. Logan van Beek, Zach Lion Cachet, and Roelof van der Merwe could not stay at the crease. Saim Ayub struck twice with clever variations. Salman Mirza bowled accurately at the death. The batters tried big shots but mistimed them. Pakistan’s fielders did the rest.
From 127 for 4, Netherlands collapsed to 147 all out. They lost six wickets for just 20 runs. The innings ended in the 20th over when Salman Mirza took his third wicket. Netherlands fell at least 20 runs short of a competitive total.
Pakistan’s bowling was impressive throughout. Salman Mirza was the standout bowler. He took 3 wickets for 21 runs. Mohammad Nawaz claimed 2 wickets and controlled the middle overs. Abrar Ahmed also took 2 wickets, breaking key partnerships. Saim Ayub surprised the batters with 2 wickets in 1 over. Shaheen Afridi chipped in with 1 wicket and bowled with pace and bounce.
Pakistan’s fielding was a major highlight. The catches were clean. The movement in the deep was sharp. Several wickets came because of safe hands under pressure. The fielding effort added extra pressure on the Dutch batters.
Netherlands will be disappointed with this total. The pitch was good for batting. The start was solid. The middle overs were productive. However, no batter stayed till the end. Poor shot selection in the final overs proved costly.
Pakistan will be confident chasing 148 runs. With strong batting depth, the target looks manageable. The Netherlands, meanwhile, will reflect on another match where a good position was lost due to a poor finish.
WATCH LIVE MATCH SCORE