Pakistan hammer Netherlands to keep T20 World Cup hopes alive

Pakistan's bowlers, led by spinner Shadab Khan, helped them hammer the Netherlands by six wickets in Perth on Sunday for a first win at the Twenty20 World Cup to keep their faint hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive. 

Pakistan restricted the Dutch to 91-9 and then cruised to 95-4 with 37 balls to spare as Mohammad Rizwan made 49. 

But it was the bowlers who set up victory for a side that lost their opener to India and then were shocked by Zimbabwe in Group 2. 

Shadab returned figures of 3-22, and pace bowler Mohammad Wasim took two wickets to set the tone for their team's domination against a Dutch side who are out of the semi-final running after losing a third straight Super 12 match. 

Pakistan lost skipper Babar Azam, for four, in the second over of their chase when he was run out by a direct throw from Roelof van der Merwe. 

Rizwan attacked from the start, hitting five fours and putting on 37 with the returning Fakhar Zaman. 

Fast bowler Brandon Glover had Zaman caught behind for 20 as a crowd of over 10,000, dominated by Pakistan supporters, feared for the worst at a venue where Pakistan fell short by one run in their chase of a modest 130 against Zimbabwe on Thursday. 

But Rizwan and Shan Masood calmed the nerves with a stand of 30, and despite both falling near the end, Pakistan sailed past their target as bowling hero Shadab hit the winning four. 

Netherlands captain Scott Edwards won the toss and chose to bat first, but Pakistan's new-ball bowlers kept a disciplined line, and only three runs came from the first two overs. 

Returning opener Stephan Myburgh broke the shackles with a boundary off Shaheen Shah Afridi only to fall next ball, caught at fine leg, attempting another big hit to be out for six. 

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