Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium will host the second ODI of the ICC World Cup 2023. It will be played between Pakistan and the Netherlands. It should not be surprising that Babar Azam is more likely to clinch the victory against the 14th-ranked side. However, there is still a chance that Scott Edwards will deliver an upset in the opener.
The stadium has hosted seven ODI matches with an average score in the first inning of 288 runs. The second inning is on the lower side, but the margin is pretty narrow. Teams go on to make a total of 262 runs after hitting the first major half. That is the right perception when it draws a picture that the pitch makes it difficult to chase. It is ideal for batting and is also known as a batting paradise.
However, teams that bowled first have won the event three times, compared to four times for teams that elected to bat first. The stadium’s head-to-head record is one match away.
As for the H-H record, Pakistan and the Netherlands have faced each other 6 times. The latter has yet to win a match. Pakistan has a better chance of winning with a clear reflection of 92% odds in their favor. Opponents will have a hard time with 8% chances, considering they will be up against the bowling attack of Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf. Naseem Shah is not in the World Cup squad because he has sustained injuries.
Having said that, the bad news for hosts has just come, citing that Shubham Gill has tested positive for dengue ahead of the global cricketing tournament. He was first reported to be down with a fever.
As hosts look for an alternate opener, Pakistan will field the following players on the field—a tentative list:
- Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, and Shadab Khan
These players are more likely to appear than those awaiting the final call.
The Netherlands are on the same page, with the following players more likely to play their opener:
- Bas de Leede, Max O’Dowd, Wesley Barresi, Colin Ackermann, Vikramjit Singh, and Logan van Beek
Again, other players are waiting for the final call. The Playing-11 squad is always subject to changes due to several factors, including weather conditions, health conditions, and last-moment injuries.
Pakistan has played two warm matches, losing both to New Zealand and Australia. Neither match saw their fighting spirit as if they were waiting to unleash all their strength in the tournament. Warm-up matches are not good for judging a team, and that makes sense; however, it paints a bad picture when a team does not fight for a win.
On the other hand, the Netherlands could not showcase their talent since both their warm-up matches landed with no result. The match was abandoned against India, and the one against the Aussies had to be cut short and withdrawn.
Tune in as Pakistan and the Netherlands attempt to break free with a win at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in their opener. New Zealand is currently at the top of the table with 2 points and an NRR of +2.149.
