PAK vs NED Live Score

9:42 AM IST Drama delivered, more to come - Right then, that is it from this edge-of-the-seat curtain-raiser at the World Cup, where Pakistan just get the better of the Netherlands to claim their first two points. However, the action does not stop here as the focus now shifts to Eden Gardens, Kolkata, where West Indies are taking on Scotland. That one will get underway shortly, and you can simply switch tabs to enjoy all the coverage of that game. Cheers!

9:39 AM IST The captain of Netherlands - Scott Edwards says that they were not at their best in all three facets of the game, but credits his team for hanging in there. Adds that they kept losing wickets at crucial times and could not build partnerships. He thinks that a score of over 160 would have given them a better chance, but they kept fighting with the ball. Praises Roelof van der Merwe and Paul van Meekeren for getting them back in the game with a couple of excellent spells. Says that Pakistan were run-a-ball in the chase, but then Paul bowled a double-wicket maiden to change the game. Ends by saying that the boys kept fighting but cricket can be a cruel game.

9:39 AM IST The victorious skipper of Pakistan - Salman Agha reflected on a hard-fought opening victory, noting that while his side successfully restricted the Netherlands to a total they were happy to chase, their batting performance lacked the clinical edge he demands. He credited his spinners for maintaining their excellent six-month form to hold things really well in the field, but he expressed concern over the mid-innings collapse that followed a strong start with the bat. Highlighting the difficulty of starting an innings in the prevailing conditions, Salman emphasized that set batters must take greater responsibility to finish games rather than succumbing to pressure. Agha acknowledged the fact that just 2-3 bad overs can change the course of a T20 game.

9:34 AM IST Dutch fightback undone at the death - The Netherlands will feel they had Pakistan within their grasp but let it slip away. For the first ten overs they looked out of the contest, but a double-wicket maiden from Paul van Meekeren pulled them right back into the game. They built on that momentum with a few more strikes to keep the pressure on the batters and did well to turn it into a real contest. However, Logan van Beek's 19th over went for 24 runs and tilted the game decisively. One cannot help but wonder if Max O’Dowd had clung on to that chance off Ashraf, the story might have read very differently.

9:33 AM IST A tale of two halves for the Netherlands - Earlier in the game, the Netherlands posted a somewhat decent total, but they could have got much more considering they were cruising at 127/4 before losing their last six wickets for just 20 runs. There were still a few positives, with Bas de Leede and skipper Scott Edwards leading the way through the middle overs. It was a strong all-round bowling effort from Pakistan, with Mirza picking up a three-fer, while the spinners, apart from Shadab Khan, shared six wickets between them, and Shaheen Afridi chipped in with one.

9:32 AM IST A chase full of twists and turns - Pakistan's chase started brightly, but Saim Ayub went a little too hard too early and fell after a breezy cameo, with Agha following him soon after despite playing a few crisp shots. Still, they raced to 61 in the Powerplay, largely driven by Sahibzada Farhan's attacking intent. Pakistan were 11 runs ahead of the Dutch at the break, but once Farhan departed for 47, things unraveled quickly, slipping from 98/2 to 98/4 and then from 114/5 to 114/7, leaving them needing 33 from the final three overs. With the pressure mounting, Faheem Ashraf stepped up, smashing 24 runs in the 19th over to all but seal the game before calmly finishing the job without further trouble.