Match: Pakistan vs Netherlands, Cricket World Cup 2023 (PAK vs NED)
Date: October 6, Friday, 2.00 PM IST
Venue: Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad
Pakistan will start their 2023 World Cup campaign against underdogs Netherlands on October 6 at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi Stadium. After losing both their warm-up matches, Pakistan will be looking for a kick when their campaign starts.
The Netherlands team, which finished as the runners-up at the World Cup Qualifiers, has not played much against the top cricketing nations, and is low on experience. But it does have a few players who make this encounter interesting. Their main guy will be all-rounder Bas de Leede, while the likes of Vikramjit Singh, Max O’Dowd, Colin Ackermann, Logan van Beek and skipper Scott Edwards will also be expected to deliver the goods. Vikramjit was the highest run-getter for his side in the Qualifiers, Edwards also had a great tournament.
Pakistan, who boast of pacers like Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, may not be quite worried about their match against Netherlands. But they will have to be at their best when they are up against stronger teams when the tournament progresses. Their recent form in ODIs has been both good and bad. They whitewashed Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka and subsequently also became the world’s no. 1 ranked ODI team. But in the Asia Cup, they finished last on the points table in the Super Four stage. This was followed by a loss in both their World Cup warm-up matches.
Ahead of the second game of Cricket World Cup 2023, here’s everything you need to know to maximise your chances of winning cash prizes on MPL fantasy.
Weather update and pitch report for PAK vs NED, Cricket World Cup 2023
The pitch at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad is expected to be batting friendly, if we judge it by the two warm-up matches played here recently. More than 300 runs were scored in each of the four innings across two matches. Spinners have historically fared better here as compared to the pacers. A total of seven ODI matches have been played here in the past, from which the average first innings score reads 288. Four of the seven matches were won by the teams batting first.
It will be mostly sunny in Hyderabad on match day, with the maximum temperature reading 33 degrees Celsius.
Pakistan team news and predicted XI
Team news: Pakistan are without injured Naseem Shah for the entire tournament. Babar Azam is likely to stick to a similar playing XI that we saw in the Asia Cup. The likes of Usama Mir, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Abdullah Shafique, and Salman Ali Agha are highly unlikely to play this match and can be kept out of your fantasy team. Mohammad Nawaz and Iftikhar Ahmed, who got runs against Australia in the warm-up, are likely to be in the XI.
Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim.
Predicted XI: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf
Netherlands team news and predicted XI
Team news: Netherlands will be largely banking upon the players who performed well at the Qualifiers. They are at full strength and do not have any injury concerns.
Squad: Scott Edwards (C), Teja Nidamanuru, Paul van Meekeren, Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede, Vikram Singh, Colin Ackermann, Roelof van der Merwe, Wesley Barresi, Saqib Zulfiqar, Shariz Ahmad, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Ryan Klein, and Sybrand Engelbrecht
Predicted XI: Max O’Dowd, Vikramjit Singh, Wesley Barresi, Bas de Leede, Teja Nidamanuru, Scott Edwards (C & wk), Shariz Ahmad, Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren
Head-to-head record
In the 50-over format, the two sides have played against each other in a total of six matches only, all of which were won by Pakistan. They last played an ODI against each other in August 2022.
Five players to watch out for
Here we list five players you must pick in your MPL fantasy XI for PAK vs NED, Cricket World Cup 2023
MPL fantasy XI – PAK vs NED, Cricket World Cup 2023
Vikramjit Singh – batsman, Netherlands
Although he is one of the youngest in the team, 20-year-old Vikramjit Singh is also among his team’s best batsman. He top-scored for Netherlands at the World Cup Qualifiers, with 326 runs from eight matches at an average of 40.75.
Scott Edwards – batsman, Netherlands
Another Netherlands player who batted well at the Qualifiers is captain Scott Edwards, who scored 314 runs in eight games at an average of 62.80 and a strike rate of 112.14.
Babar Azam – batsman, Pakistan
Babar Azam is currently to no.1 ranked batsman in ICC ODI rankings. He scored 80 against New Zealand and 90 against Australia in the warm-up matches. Babar is also the highest run-scorer in ODIs in the current Pakistan squad, with 5409 runs at an average of 58.16. If there is one batsman who can single-handedly win matches for Pakistan, it is Babar. He is a good choice for your MPL team’s captaincy.
Haris Rauf – bowler, Pakistan
In Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi, Pakistan possess lethal weapons. Rauf bowled brilliantly at the Asia Cup 2023, picking nine wickets in four matches. Before that, he picked up a fifer against Afghanistan. In his 28-match ODI career, the pacer has already picked up 53 wickets.
Imam-ul-Haq – batsman, Pakistan
Imam-ul-Haq has a brilliant batting average of over 50 in his 66-match ODI career. While his recent form has been unimpressive – apart from 78 against Bangladesh at the Asia Cup, he’s not done much in his last six outings – Imam still remains a good pick for your MPL fantasy team.
PAK vs NED – where and what time to watch the match live in India
The Pakistan vs Netherlands ODI will be televised on the Star Sports Network in India. You can also watch the game on the Disney + Hotstar app as well as the Jiocinema app. The match will begin at 2.00 PM IST on October 6.
Check out our detailed guide on fantasy cricket for more tips and tricks. https://www.mpl.live/blog/todays-match-prediction/
Note: The players recommended here need not be a part of the Playing 11 on game day. Users are advised to do their own research also and follow official sources and create their teams.
