In an eagerly awaited encounter, Pakistan and the Netherlands are set to square off in the second match of the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup on Friday, October 6. This crucial match-up will take place at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad.
The Pakistani team, led by the talented Babar Azam, enter this contest after facing defeats in both their warm-up matches against New Zealand and Australia, respectively. Their recent performance in the 2023 Asia Cup was also disappointing, with losses against India and Sri Lanka in the Super Four stage leading to their elimination.
On the other hand, the Netherlands' journey to the World Cup has been marked by limited opportunities to showcase their skills. While they played an ODI game in the World Cup Qualifier held in June in Zimbabwe, their World Cup warm-up matches against Australia and India were abandoned due to persistent rain.
Head-to-Head record
In head-to-head ODI encounters, Pakistan boasts an unblemished record against the Netherlands. These two teams have crossed paths on six occasions, with Pakistan securing victory in all six encounters, while the Netherlands has yet to register a win against their formidable opponents.
Pitch Report
The Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad offers a variety of pitch types, including red soil, black soil, and a combination of the two. Black soil pitches provide greater bounce, aiding batters in scoring runs, while red soil assists slower bowlers and spinners as the game progresses.The flat track in Hyderabad has historically led to high-scoring games, with pace bowlers relying on bouncers and slower deliveries to control the run flow. In the seven official ODI matches played at this venue, the team batting first has held a slight advantage.
Probable Playing XIs
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf
Netherlands: Max O'Dowd, Vikramjit Singh, Wesley Barresi, Bas de Leede, Teja Nidamanuru, Scott Edwards (C & wk), Shariz Ahmad, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren
Both Pakistan and the Netherlands will be looking to make a strong statement from the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup.
