Netherlands to Host Pakistan in ODIs in 2022
In August, the Netherlands will host three ODIs against Pakistan in Rotterdam. The series was originally scheduled for June 2020 but was subsequently postponed indefinitely following the Covid-19 pandemic. The inaugural ODI series between the sides will be played on August 16, 18, and 21 at the VOC Cricket Ground, with the three matches to be played. The two teams have met twice in the World Cup and Champions Trophy earlier, winning all three encounters.
Director of the PCB, Zakir Khan, said: “We are delighted that with the help of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Cricket Bond (KNCB), we were able to reschedule the series, which is critical to the growth and expansion of cricket in the Netherlands as well as to the two teams’ chances of making it to the 2023 World Cup straight.”
The Royal Dutch Cricket Association announced Pakistan’s 2022 Netherlands tour schedule, fixtures, and match timings, as part of ICC Future Tour Programs (FTPs).
Netherlands vs Pakistan in Rotterdam
- 1st ODI – August 16, 2022
- 2nd ODI – August 18, 2022
- 3rd ODI – August 21, 2022
The first bilateral cricket series between Pakistan and the Netherlands was set to happen in July 2020, before their tour of England. The series would have consisted of three ODI games and a two-match T20I. However, on April 22, the Dutch government announced that all activities in the Netherlands, both sports and cultural, would be halted until September 2020 due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The series was rescheduled for August 2022, after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Royal Dutch Cricket Association (KNCB) had agreed on an itinerary in April. Later that month, the cricket boards had decided the tour schedule, with all matches being played in Rotterdam.
The Dutch are at the bottom of the Super League table in the 13th place with two wins in 10 matches, while Pakistan is in the ninth position with six wins in 12 games. The top seven sides, including hosts India, will qualify directly for the 2023 Men’s World Cup.
Why the Netherlands?
Another option that the PCB has been exploring is to host matches in a European country other than the Netherlands. The ground and the environment are more familiar to many of the Pakistani players. They have played at several venues including the likes of England and South Africa which are located in the southern and eastern parts of Europe respectively. If Pakistan were to host matches in a western European country like the Netherlands, it could be another option for them to try and grow the profile of their cricket.
The 10 suits of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League are distributed among the Netherlands and Pakistan. Inside the 12 suits, Pakistan has a 50 percent file. The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 qualifying process will be decided by which seven aspects plus India will be the highest-located ones.