Pakistan vs Netherland, 1st ODI: Babar Azam Dazzles With “Sublime Knock” Of 74 Against Netherlands. Watch

Pakistan captain Babar Azam hit a sublime knock of 74 in the first ODI against the Netherlands in Rotterdam. Pakistan got off to a slow start before Babar and Fakhar Zaman stitched a 168-run partnership of 170 balls, and helped their team post a total of 314 for six in 50 overs. While Fakhar hit a run-a-ball 109, Babar carved out a 74-run knock, hitting six boundaries and a six. Babar was dismissed after mistiming a delivery from Dutch paceman Logan van Beek.

.@babarazam258 bosses around with a sublime knock of 74.

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Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat on a hot and muggy day at the VOC cricket ground outside the Dutch harbour city in the first of a three-match series.

The home bowlers initially contained Pakistan’s batting, with the visitors losing their first wicket, that of dangerman Imam-ul-Haq, lbw to paceman Vivian Kingma in the sixth over for a painstaking two off 19 balls.

But Zaman and Azam eventually let loose and put on a partnership of 168 off 170 balls before Azam was caught in a soft dismissal when he mistimed a shot into the waiting hands of Tom Cooper at mid-off.

Zaman was dismissed two overs later when he was brilliantly run out by Dutch captain and wicketkeeper Scott Edwards off a pin-point accurate throw by Bas de Leede at deep mid-wicket.

Pakistan looked set for a larger total but the Dutch bowlers did well to restrict them on a sluggish pitch, with the spin bowling of youngsters Aryan Dutt and Tim Pringle causing problems.

The Dutch let themselves down in the field though and dropped several catches, Kingma notably fumbling a high ball to hand Zaman a lifeline when he was on 43.

Netherlands came close to causing an upset, but were eventually restricted to 298/8.

Opener Vikramjit Singh hit 65, while Tom Cooper also registered the same score. Captain Scott Edwards remained unbeaten on 71 off 60 deliveries, but it was not enough to get the hosts over the line.

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Pacers Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah took three wickets apiece for Pakistan.

With AFP inputs