Netherlands v Pakistan match preview

Pakistan are heading into the World Cup with lots of questions and not as many answers. Since their demoralising defeat to India in the Asia Cup Super Fours, they have not managed to win a game, be it an international match or a warm-up encounter.

Netherlands, who have made it to the World Cup against all odds, will see this as an opportunity to make an early upset. All of their main batters come with runs under their belt in ODIs this year. Their two all-rounders who played a major role in the World Cup Qualifier – Bas de Leede and Logan van Beek, will have a lot riding on them again.

NED vs PAK fantasy tips

# The Netherlands’ top-order is susceptible to high-quality seam bowling. With Shaheen Afridi supposed to take the new ball for Pakistan, it would be a good idea to leave out the Netherlands’ top-order batters.

# Naturally, it would be a good idea to pick Shaheen, as well as other Pakistani bowlers in the form of Haris Rauf, whose express pace might be too hot to handle for the Dutch batters, and Shadab Khan, who can wrap up the tail quickly.

# Fakhar Zaman is not in great form and his place in the side is not certain. It would not be a bad idea to avoid picking him in your side.

# Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan should be certainties. Both are high quality batters, in good form, and rarely fail to score against relatively weaker bowling lineups.

# For Netherlands, Bas de Leede and Logan van Beek take a lot of responsibility with both bat and ball. Both of them should be in your side.

# Roelof van der Merwe can be picked given his ability to give points in all three departments, despite being 38 years of age.

Netherlands vs Pakistan predicted XIs

Netherlands: Max O’Dowd, Vikramjit Singh, Colin Ackermann, Bas de Leede, Teja Nidamanuru, Scott Edwards (c) (wk), Roelof van der Merwe, Logan Van Beek, Ryan Klein, Shariz Ahmed, Paul van Meerken.

Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zama, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf.

NED vs PAK Dream11 team

Wicketkeepers: Mohammad Rizwan, Scott Edwards.

Batters: Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Teja Nidamanuru.

All-rounders: Shadab Khan, Bas de Leede.

Bowlers: Roelof van der Merwe, Logan van Beek, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf.

Captaincy options: Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Bas de Leede, Shadab Khan.

Potential swaps: Fakhar Zaman for Imam-ul-Haq, Shariz Ahmed for Roelof van der Merwe, Iftikhar Ahmed for Teja Nidamanuru.