A Babar Azam and Naseem Shah masterclass meant that Pakistan edged the Netherlands by nine runs in a thrilling ODI in Rotterdam.
Victory for Pakistan gave them a 3-0 series win over the hosts, with the away side securing the win in the final over as Mohammad Wasim clean bowled the Dutch No.10 Aryan Dutt.
Only thanks to Babar Azam did Pakistan post any sort of total, as on a bowler friendly wicket his 91 off 125 balls helped lift Pakistan to 206.
Conditions were tricky for batters and Pakistan only reached 100 in the 28th over of their innings. Across the match, no one who reached double figures did so at more than run-a-ball.
Nevertheless, Netherlands found themselves with a golden opportunity to score a famous victory against Pakistan.
Their chase got off to a poor and slow start, however, as after 14 overs they had fallen to 37-3.
But from that moment the game looked to have turned, as the Netherlands looked to have victory in their hands while Vikramjit Singh (50) and Tom Cooper (62) were batting together for the fourth wicket. The pair added 71 to lift the home side to 108-3 and within 100 of victory. Australian-born Cooper eventually finished on 62, meaning he ended the series with scores of 65, 66 and 62. Along with Teja Nidamanuru (24), Cooper took the home side to 172-5 leaving just 35 runs needed for victory from the final 31 deliveries.
However, both set batters would fall in the space of six balls. First, Nidamanuru was clean bowled by Naseem, before Cooper was well caught on the boundary by Fakhar Zaman to leave the Dutch seven down and needing 33 off 26 to win.
With the tail exposed, Naseem and Mohammad Wasim came to the fore, with their pace too much for the Dutch, as on a bowler friendly wicket they closed out the victory with Wasim clean bowling Dutt with the second ball of the final over.
Whilst it had been Wasim who wrapped up victory, Shah had set it up. Dismissing opener Max O’Dowd and No.3 Musa Ahmed with excellent deliveries before the wickets of Scott Edwards, Nidamanuru and Logan van Beek completed his maiden five-for in ODI cricket.
