Pakistan vs Netherlands Live: Pakistan falters against Netherlands, Colombo match at a thrilling juncture

The T20 World Cup is starting today, Saturday. The first match is being played between Pakistan and Netherlands. This match is being held in Colombo. Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first. The Netherlands team has set a target of 148. Pakistan has announced a boycott of the match against India in this World Cup. In such a situation, they will have to win every match to continue their journey. Meanwhile, the Netherlands will be looking to cause an upset. Pakistan's batting is underway.

Pakistan's batting performance

In response to 148, Pakistan got off to a very aggressive start. Sahibzada Farhan and Sam Ayub started quickly. But in the third over, Pakistan suffered its first setback when Sam Ayub was dismissed. Ayub scored 24 runs. But captain Salman Agha also could not last long. He scored only 12 runs.

After this, there was a good partnership between Sahibzada Farhan and Babar Azam. Pakistan's score was 90-2 after 10 overs. But then the Netherlands made a remarkable comeback, taking three wickets in quick succession. As a result, Pakistan lost 5 wickets for 103 runs in 13 overs. Babar Azam was dismissed after scoring 15 runs off 18 balls. Farhan also missed out on a half-century, and Usman Khan failed to open his account.

Pakistan (Playing XI): Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha, Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed.

Netherlands (Playing XI): Michael Levitt, Max O'Dowd, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards, Zach Lion-Cachet, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Kyle Klein, Paul van Meekeren.

How is the weather like in Colombo?

The weather in Colombo could be a major obstacle in this match. According to the meteorological department's forecast, there is a high probability of heavy rain between 1 PM and 3 PM, which could directly affect the match. If there is any interruption in the game, the DLS method will play a crucial role.

The conditions could be even more challenging for the team batting in the second innings. This will add a new twist to an already high-pressure match. Pakistan is well aware of this situation. Their warm-up match against Ireland at the same venue was abandoned due to rain without a single ball being bowled.

Can the Netherlands surprise Pakistan?

The Netherlands is known as a team that can cause upsets in major tournaments. In the last T20 World Cup, they defeated strong teams like South Africa and England. However, the Netherlands has never beaten Pakistan in men's T20 international cricket so far. But such tournaments are often known for creating new history.