World Cup 2023: Saud Shakeel's fifty rescues Pakistan against Netherlands

Hyderabad: Pakistan found themselves struggling as their top-order collapsed, but a brilliant batting display by Saud Shakeel turned the tide in their favor against the Netherlands.

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup kicked off in Hyderabad Deccan, with Pakistan facing off against the Netherlands.

After winning the toss, the Netherlands elected to field first, putting Pakistan in the batting position.

Pakistan's opening batsmen, Fakhar Zaman, and Imam-ul-Haq, took the crease to start the innings.

However, the Pakistani batting lineup faced early challenges as they grappled with the Netherlands' formidable bowlers.

With the top-order crumbling, it was Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel who stepped up to the plate, taking charge of the team and steering Pakistan's innings past the 100-run mark.

Saud Shakeel showcased remarkable batting prowess, achieving a brilliant fifty off just 32 balls.

Prior to the match, Pakistan's captain, Babar Azam, expressed his intention to kickstart the World Cup campaign with a strong performance, aiming to set a target of 290 or even 300-plus runs.

In contrast, Netherlands captain Scott Edwards believed that the pitch conditions would be favorable for batting during the second innings.

The Pakistan squad featured prominent players including Babar Azam, Imamul Haq, Fakhr Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, all of whom are determined to make their mark in the ICC Men's World Cup.