Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel have brought the Pakistan inning back on track with an excellent performance with the bat. After, the top order of the team failed, the men in green were in searing pressure to avoid an upset at the hands of the Netherlands.
The Pakistan top order has once again put up a flattened performance as they have failed to produce a significant start for their team against the Netherlands. The majority of the Pakistani players are battling from poor form including their top order.
Expectations were high on the trot when Fakhar Zaman and Imam Ul Haq opened the inning for Pakistan on Indian soil against the Netherlands. However, Fakhar Zaman couldn’t even last longer in the crease as Logan van Beek produced a brilliant caught and bowled opportunity.
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Fakhar Zaman was gone for 12 runs from 15 balls with a strike rate of 80.00. Pakistani fans experienced a huge shock when their loved cricketing great Babar Azam walked back on a single-digit score. His inning of 5 runs against the Netherlands bowling lineup has caused a case of worry.
Pakistan slipped at 38/3 as Imam-ul-Haq the pathway after Paul van Meekeren’s fine bowling resulted in the fall of the wicket. The men in green had two new batsmen in the form of Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel and a sight of possible upset at the hands of underdogs Netherlands.
Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel built the inning from scratch by playing carefully and slowly according to their run of pace. This resulted in a monumental comeback of Pakistan in this match as Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel have now completed their respective half-centuries.
Even their partnership in the ODI World Cup 2023 match has gone beyond 100 runs. Though this is the bare minimum Pakistan can do but with the performance from their top order, this partnership feels like a new breath of air for the men in green. It is time for Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel to accelerate.