Top Pakistani batters Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq fell inside 10 overs after the Netherlands asked Pakistan to bat first at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad.

Zaman was first to get out while the Pakistani skipper also scooped one on leg side and fell cheaply at 5.

Earlier, Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards said he opted to bowl first as he believes it would be easier to bat under lights here at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad. 

Edwards, while talking at the toss, said that he was hopeful of a good performance against the Green Shirts because they’ve played Pakistan a lot in recent years. 

On the other hand, Pakistani skipper Babar Azam said that they will be looking to set a target between 290-300. 

This is the seventh time Pakistan and the Netherlands are facing off each other in an ODI. The two sides have faced off six times in the format, their first meeting in the 1996 iteration of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, and Pakistan have come out victorious on each occasion.

Pakistan toured the Netherlands last year for what was the first bilateral series between the two sides, and recorded a clean-sweep.

Pakistan have entered the 50-over World Cup as one of the favourites after an impressive run in the just-concluded World Cup cycle as they had the best win-loss ratio of 2.400 with 24 wins in 36 matches.

That the team has performed so consistently has also been because of their mainstays emerging as solid performers over the years. 

Playing XI

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

Netherlands: 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, Paul van Meekeren 

Details to follow…