In the upcoming clash of the ODI World Cup 2023, Pakistan is set to face off against the Netherlands in what promises to be an intense battle at Perth. Pakistan, having faced defeats in both of their league matches, finds itself in a must-win situation to keep their tournament hopes alive. In their previous outing, they displayed commendable bowling prowess but struggled to provide adequate support with the bat, narrowly missing a chase of 131 runs against Zimbabwe. The performances of key players like Shan Masood and Haris Rauf will be instrumental for Pakistan.

On the other side, the Netherlands also finds themselves in a similar predicament, having suffered losses in their first two matches. Their recent encounter saw them taking on India, where they conceded a formidable total of 179 runs and managed to score only 114 in reply, resulting in a 65-run defeat. The Dutch team will be counting on contributions from Max O’Dowd and Paul Van Meekeren to revive their campaign.

Here are the squads for the match:

Pakistan

• Babar Azam (C)
• Haider Ali
• Shan Masood
• SH Khan
• Iftikhar Ahmed
• Mohammad Nawaz
• Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
• Haris Rauf
• Mohammad Wasim
• Naseem Shah
• S Afridi

Netherlands

• Colin Ackermann
• TLW Cooper
• BFW de Leede
• MP O’Dowd
• Vikramjit Singh
• S Edwards (C)
• Shariz Ahmad
• Logan van Beek
• Fred Klaassen
• PA van Meekeren
• Tim Pringle

Pitch Report:

The Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad is known for its batting-friendly conditions. The pitch is typically dry and firm, offering good pace and bounce to the batsmen. It allows batsmen to play their shots with confidence, especially off the back foot, as the ball comes onto the bat nicely. While spinners may find some assistance as the match progresses, it remains a favorable batting track overall. Teams batting first will aim to set imposing totals.

Prediction:

Pakistan enters this match as the clear favorite, boasting a stronger batting lineup and a formidable bowling attack compared to the Netherlands.

Toss Prediction:

Experts at the ICC Cricket World Cup suggest that Pakistan is likely to win the toss and opt to bat first.