Pakistan’s bowlers were tested in the first ODI by hosts Netherlands as they managed a narrow 16-run win while defending the total of 314. However, normalcy was restored when Pakistan took on the Dutch in the second ODI of the three-ODI series. Pakistan registered an easy seven-wicket win with 98 balls to spare to take an unassailable lead in the series.
In the run chase of 187, Pakistan openers faltered and registered single-digit scores. Netherlands opening bowler Vivian Kingma got the wickets of Fakhar Zaman (3) and Imam-ul-Haq (6) in the first four overs of the run chase.
Skipper Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan steadied the ship with an 88-run partnership for the third wicket. Azam did not care about the criticism over his strike rate and played according to the situation of the game. Babar scored 57 runs from 65 deliveries including seven fours before becoming Aryan Dutt's only victim of the day.
Rizwan anchored the run chase while Agha Salman made the most of his promotion in the batting order. Rizwan took 72 deliveries to get to his half-century whereas Salman took on Netherlands bowlers. Towards the end of the run chase, Salman took the aggressive approach. He got to his maiden ODI half-century in style with a six to finish off the game. He took 35 deliveries to reach his fifty. On the other end, Rizwan remained unbeaten on 69 off 82 deliveries.
Earlier, skipper Scott Edwards won the toss and opted to bat first. The decision backfired as Vikramjit Singh (1), Max ODowd (1) and Wesley Barresi (3) got out for single-digit scores. Netherlands were reduced to 8/3 as Naseem Shah took two and Haris Rauf got one wicket with the new ball.
Bas de Leede and half-centurion of previous match, Tom Cooper took control of the innings. Cooper scored freely once again and scored 66 runs from 74 deliveries including 7 fours and two sixes. The two shared a 109-run partnership for the third wicket. It was Mohammad Nawaz who broke the partnership.
Netherlands suffered a batting collapse as De Leede watched from the non-striker's end. From 117/3, they were all out for 186. Two of the batters bagged ducks. Only Logan van Beek scored in double digits in the lower order. Leede was the last to get out. He scored a patient 89 off 120 deliveries including two fours and three sixes. The hosts could put on just 189 on the scoreboard.
Rauf and Nawaz took three wickets. Shah took a couple of wickets with the new ball whereas Mohammad Wasim Jr and Shadab Khan took one wicket each.
