Pakistan arrive at this match carrying momentum, though momentum in T20 cricket can be as fleeting as the format itself. Four wins in their last five outings tells you something about current form, but recent scorelines—207 runs one day, 168 another—tell you something else: there's batting depth here, or at least there has been. The three consecutive victories at the start of February, each by comfortable margins, suggest a side that has found rhythm at the right time. That's no small thing heading into a World Cup.
What stands out to me is how heavily the burden has shifted to the batting unit.
Pakistan have been posting competitive totals consistently, sometimes imposing ones, and that's been enough to see them through. But there's always a question of sustainability with
Pakistan—a side that can look invincible one week and vulnerable the next. The bowling, though not always dominant, has done enough when it mattered.
Netherlands, by contrast, haven't played a T20 International since September last year. Five months without competitive cricket at this level is a long time, particularly when your opponent has been playing regularly. Their form then was patchy—narrow wins over seemingly beatable opponents, heavy losses mixed in—but they did qualify for this tournament, and that counts for something. Still, ring rust is real, and there's no gentle warm-up here.
The gap in recent activity feels significant.
Pakistan have been tested under pressure, have built partnerships, and have learned what works.
Netherlands will be relying on familiarity within their group and the unpredictability that underdogs can bring. In a one-off group game, that can matter, but it's hard to ignore the fact that
Pakistan have been here more recently, in both form and preparation.
It's difficult to see past
Pakistan, even accounting for the surprises this format produces. They're better placed in almost every measurable way—form, recent exposure, batting firepower. The Dutch will need something special, or
Pakistan will need to collapse in on themselves. Neither feels likely, though neither is impossible.
