Perth:Pakistan produced a collective bowling performance to restrict Netherlands to a lowly 91 for nine in their must-win T20 World Cup match, here on Sunday. With their backs against the wall after suffering back-to-back defeats against India and Zimbabwe, Pakistan need a big win over Netherlands to stay in the semifinal race.
The Babar Azam-led side meant business on Sunday as Netherlands found the going tough against Pakistani bowlers after electing to bat on a bouncy perth wicket. Pakistani bowlers were right on the money from the onset, reducing Netherlands to 26 for three in the ninth over.
Left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi (1/19) troubled the Dutch openers with his pace and bounce, while Shadab Khan (3/22) was spot on with his leg-spin. Afridi struck the first blow in the third over as he bounced out Stephan Myburgh, who top-edged one to Mohammad Wasim Jr at fine leg.
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In the sixth over, Bas de Leede was forced to retire hurt after a Haris Rauf (1/10) quick bouncy delivery hit him on the grill, resulting in a nasty cut on his face just under the right eye. Tom Cooper and Max O'Dowd too disappointed as they became Shadab's victims in consecutive overs.
Colin Ackermann (27) and skipper Scott Edwards (15) tried their best to stabilise the innings with a 35-run stand during which they mostly dealt in singles and two with occasional boundaries in between. But it was not to be as Both Ackermann and Edwards departed in successive overs. While Ackerman was out LBW to Shadab, Edwards scooped a Naseem Shah (1/11)delivery straight to Iftikhar Ahmed at fine leg as Netherlands lost half of their side with the scoreboard reading 69 in the 16th over.
It became 73 for 6 soon when Rauf cleaned up Roelof van der Merwe with a 147 kmph delivery. Wasim (2/15) then produced two toe-crushing yorkers in the 19th over to disturb the timbers of Tim Pringle and Fred Klaassen in successive deliveries.
With a rare hat-trick in sight, Wasim opted for another fuller length delivery which went past Paul van Meekeren's bat but just missed the leg stump. (PTI)
