World Twenty20, 2009
Wisden's review of Netherlands v Pakistan, World Twenty20, 2009
15-Apr-2010
At Lord's, June 9. Pakistan won by 82 runs. Pakistan 2 pts. Toss: Pakistan.>/i>
Pakistan's phalanx of slow bowlers together claimed eight for 49 to bring the great
Dutch adventure to an abrupt and decisive end. The batsmen found Shahid Afridi's
variations especially tricky to decipher: he yorked Zuiderent with his first ball, castled de
Grooth as he stepped back to cut, beat the advancing van Bunge to have him stumped, and
finally deceived Schiferli in the flight. Saeed Ajmal's doosra claimed three victims,
including two stumpings, while Shoaib Malik also had Kamran Akmal's slick glovework
to thank for dismissing the dangerous ten Doeschate. Akmal became the first wicketkeeper
to make four stumpings in any form of limited-overs international. Earlier, the Pakistani
batsmen had shown far more spine than against England. Akmal, particularly strong
driving square of the wicket, gained combative support from the middle order as Pakistan
reached a demanding total. The real target faced by the Netherlands, though, was slightly
less: defeat by 24 runs or fewer would have seen them through on net run-rate.
Man of the Match: Kamran Akmal. Attendance: 21,809.