Saud Shakeel gets Pakistan off the mark despite Bas de Leede double delight

It wasn't the perfect performance but, at the moment, good enough will do for Pakistan, and good enough is exactly what they achieved. In a staccato showing where bursts of inspiration were interspersed with spells of shaky mediocrity, Babar Azam's side eventually eased to an 81-run win over the Netherlands despite Bas de Leede's all-round heroics. The 23-year-old allrounder was at times a one-man bulwark against Pakistan, but thanks to fifties from Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan managed 286. Pakistan had enough bowling firepower to overwhelm Netherlands, with Haris Rauf blowing the game open through the middle overs and always leaving the game just out of Dutch hands.

Netherlands looked dangerous in the first powerplay, opening with spin that troubled both Pakistan's left-hand openers. There was nothing to suggest a return to form for Fakhar Zaman, who tamely lobbed one back to Logan van Beek. But the Dutch got an even bigger boost with two wickets in five balls towards the end of the powerplay. Babar Azam failed to get underneath a long hop from Colin Ackermann and spooned one up to short midwicket, before a bouncer from Paul van Meekeren grew big on Imam-ul-Haq, who hooked it down fine leg's throat.

But where previously Pakistan have collapsed upon the dismissal of the top order, today Pakistan's middle order took charge from those depths of 38 for 3. Saud Shakeel, who was drafted into the World Cup squad late, put on something of a clinic, a delightful innings that stabilised the innings alongside the predictably reliable Mohammad Rizwan. It slowly took the momentum back from Netherlands, and fairly soon, the runs and boundaries began to flow.

Saud, who until two months earlier was viewed as someone too stodgy for the shorter formats, took charge, and raced along to a 32-ball half-century without seemingly taking a risk. Anything full from the fast bowlers went back down the ground, while the footwork to the spinners was immaculate. The innings was a thing of technical brilliance, and remarkably effective. Before long they brought up a 100-partnership, and Pakistan were back in control.

He found himself punished by the first false shot he played, a toe-edge off Aryan Dutt flying into the air, and suddenly Netherlands clawed momentum back again. Soon after Rizwan, who had played his part in that stand, found himself undone by a sensational indipper from de Leede, who also removed Iftikhar Ahmed later in the same over.

It was only a punchy 64-run stand between Pakistan's spin-bowling allrounders Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan that guided them back to smoother waters, bringing up the 250 and ensuring they'd have something to bowl at. But Netherlands, and de Leede in particular, kept hitting back with wickets, and prevented Pakistan from batting out their full quota, bowling them out for 286 in 49 overs.

Netherlands started brightly despite the early loss of Max O'Dowd. It was Hasan Ali who felled him with a shorter ball that flew to deep fine leg, but Vikramjit Singh took the attack to Pakistan and ensured his side were making the most of the powerplay. Ackermann joined him before a rash shot off Iftikhar brought about a relatively early departure.

Poor shot selection was something of a running theme through the Dutch innings, but the third wicket partnership that was about to arrive gave Pakistan a true scare. It was the irrepressible de Leede, perhaps predictably, at the heart of it, taking over from Singh as the aggressor-in-chief, a remarkable six off Nawaz over long-on making his intentions plain. Singh, who had a brief lull in the middle and struggled with footwork and timing, rediscovered his form alongside de Leede, smacking Shadab for a six soon after as Netherlands began to pile on the pressure.

But as soon as he brought up his half-century, he fell to a long hop from Shadab. The shot was on, but the execution failed as a bottom edge found the cow-corner fielder, and from thereon, the game began to slip from Dutch control. De Leede continued to motor along with ease and elegance, but Rauf, returning for a short middle overs spell, took two in three balls to blow through the Dutch innings. A short ball was pulled to midwicket by Teja Nidamanuru before captain Scott Edwards was trapped in front second ball. Haris might easily have had a third the next delivery if Iftikhar hadn't dropped a dolly at first slip, but either way, the game was in Pakistan's hands now.

De Leede remained true to the belligerence that makes him such a compelling watch, tonking Rauf for a six one ball after a nasty bouncer, and bringing up his own half-century. But there was little support from the other end, and Logan van Beek was severely hampered by a hamstring issue. Shaheen struck to remove the struggling Saqib Zulfiqar before Nawaz took the prize scalp of de Leede, a little extra turn knocking back his off stump.

Van Beek could only stand and deliver, and he tried that for a while, particularly during a last wicket stand with van Meekeren. It ensured Netherlands moved past 200 and the defeat was cut down to a two-digit margin. Perhaps inevitably, the final wicket went to Rauf as he cleaned up van Meekeren with a bail-trimmer, securing Pakistan an imperfect, if decisive, win. There is much room for improvement, and with two points and a healthy net run rate on the board, they have three days to achieve it before they take on Sri Lanka also in Hyderabad.