Babar Azam-led Pakistan ODI squad is all set to feature in the first-ever bilateral series against the Netherlands, scheduled to begin this Tuesday (August 16) in Rotterdam.
Pakistan, who are currently ranked fourth, will face the host side again on 18 and 21 August.
The three-match series is part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League where the visiting side occupies the fifth spot with 90 points. Babar’s side will be aiming to win all three matches to grab the second position in the points table.
A couple of milestones are on the cards for Pakistan’s premier players. Number one ranked ODI player Babar Azam needs one more century to become the only Pakistan captain to score 10 tons in international cricket.
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Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan requires 18 more runs to complete 1,000 ODI runs.
Imam-ul-Haq, who trails his skipper Babar on the second spot in the ICC batters’ rankings, will be looking to continue his rich vein of form after amassing seven fifty-plus scores on the trot in ODIs.
He was declared player of the series for scores of 65, 72 and 62 in Pakistan’s 3-0 win against the West Indies at home in three-match ODI series in June 2022.
Squad
Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, and Zahid Mehmood
Schedule
16 Aug – 1st ODI; VOC Cricket Ground, Rotterdam
18 Aug – 2nd ODI; VOC Cricket Ground, Rotterdam
21 Aug – 3rd ODI; VOC Cricket Ground, Rotterdam