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Pakistan became the second team to open their account in the 2023 World Cup points table. The Men in Green defeated minnows Netherlands by 81 runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium on Friday, October 6, to earn two points in the standings.
Saud Shakeel won the Man of the Match award for his match-winning half-century. After Pakistan lost three early wickets, Shakeel rebuilt the innings with Mohammad Rizwan to help the Men in Green post 286 runs on the board. Chasing 287 for a win, the Netherlands lost all their wickets for 205 runs.
Courtesy of this win, Pakistan have attained the second position in the 2023 World Cup points table. The Babar Azam-led outfit have two points after one match. Their net run rate is +1.620. Tabletoppers New Zealand also have two points from one game, but their net run rate of +2.149 is much better than Pakistan.
The Netherlands hold the ninth position in the standings, having lost their opening fixture in the mega event. Their net run rate is -1.620, with zero points after one match. Defending champions England are below them with zero points and a net run rate of -2.149.
2 more teams set to get off the mark in 2023 World Cup points table
The first double-header of the World Cup will take place on Saturday, October 7. In the day match, Bangladesh will lock horns with Asian rivals Afghanistan in Dharamsala. Former champions Sri Lanka will take on South Africa in the day/night fixture of the double-header at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
South Africa and Bangladesh will start as the favorites in tomorrow's matches, but it would be wrong to take Sri Lanka and Afghanistan lightly. Both teams have played some top-quality cricket in the recent past. It will be interesting to see which teams open their accounts in the standings tomorrow.
