Former Indian cricketer and current commentator Harsha Bhogle stated that Pakistan's lower middle-order played a key role in their World Cup 2023 opener against the Netherlands at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Friday.
Pakistan were 188-6 in the 31st over when their number seven and eight, Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan, played crucial knocks of 39 and 32 respectively, taking their team to a competitive total.
Bhogle praised the two all-rounders for taking responsibility and batting with patience and courage.
"Often hear people saying: if 7 can get the runs, 8 can't. I never believed in it. Look at today, numbers 7 & 8 have probably done it for Pakistan," Bhogle wrote on X.
Pakistan posted a 286-run total on the scoreboard in the first innings.
Earlier, the Green Shirts made fans remember the old days as their top order, which consisted of Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq and skipper Babar Azam, failed considerably.
Pakistan lost openers Zaman (12) and Imam (15), along with Azam (5), in the first 10 overs with less than 50 runs on the board.
However, after losing three important wickets, Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel built an astounding 120-run partnership to give their side a much-needed breakthrough.
Rizwan lost his wicket after scoring 68 off 75 while Saud, who was making his World Cup debut, scored an important knock of 68 runs off 52, which included 10 boundaries, with an impressive 130.77 strike rate.
It must be noted that the Netherlands sent Pakistan in to bat in their World Cup clash in Hyderabad on Friday after skipper Scott Edwards won the toss.
Pakistan picked two frontline spinners in Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz alongside fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali.
The Netherlands, the only Associate side in the World Cup, have Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, and Saqib Zulfiqar as their spin options.
Teams:
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan, 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 (captain), Saqib Zulfiqar, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren
