Netherlands Women vs Pakistan Women Match 26 Full Commentary

Welcome back for the second innings. Netherlands Women are chasing history as their openers - Heather Siegers and Phebe Molkenboer - walk out to the middle. And it will be Sadia Iqbal to bowl the first over. Heather to face the first ball. Here we go...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

The chase awaits - With Heather Siegers back at the top of the order, the Netherlands have the resources to chase this down. But with the prospect of a maiden Women's T20 World Cup win, nerves could yet play a part, and they will have to keep them in check. Pakistan, meanwhile, will feel that if they can strike early, they can seize control of the game. A crucial Powerplay awaits, with both sides eager to bow out of the tournament with a victory. Stick around as the chase is coming up in a bit.

A quick word - Iris Zwilling says the message for the entire tournament has been to hit the deck hard and avoid floating the ball up into the slot. She is pleased that they managed to execute those plans in this game. On how challenging the tournament has been for the bowling department, she calls it an interesting one. She says the Netherlands have been playing on very good batting pitches throughout, and that is not the kind of experience they are used to back home. She says it was something they had to adjust to pretty quickly, adapting both to the batters they were facing and the grounds they were playing on. She is pleased they managed to restrict Pakistan to a low total today. On chasing 127, she says she is still running on adrenaline from the bowling innings. She backs the batting unit fully, saying they have shown throughout this tournament that they are more than capable, and feels the target is well within arm's reach.

A finish that never came - It was a sedate start from Pakistan after being asked to bat first, before Ayesha Zafar and Gull Feroza helped them finish the Powerplay strongly and carried that momentum into the middle overs. With two set batters at the crease, Pakistan looked well placed to launch in the final phase, but the Netherlands struck at regular intervals to derail their plans. Even the promotion of Fatima Sana did not provide the desired impetus, while Gull Feroza watched wickets tumble at the other end as the late flourish never quite arrived.

Pakistan end on 126 - A job well done by the Dutch to finish strongly. At 88/1 with 9 wickets in hand and 7 overs remaining, Pakistan looked on course for a much bigger total, but 38/5 in the final 7 overs meant that they had to settle for 126.

Tuba Hassan comes out to the middle.

Iris Zwilling to close out the innings.

Saira Jabeen is in at number 7.

Hannah Landheer (2-0-14-1) returns.

More action to come - Up next in Bristol is a high-stakes clash between West Indies and Ireland, with the first ball scheduled for 1.30 pm GMT. A Windies win will seal their place in the semifinals and shut the door on both Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Those two sides, therefore, will be hoping Ireland can pull off an upset. Our build-up is already up and running, so switch tabs and join us there. Cheers!

The skipper of Pakistan Women - Fatima Sana says she is really proud of her team and credits each and every player for the way they turned up for this game. She singles out Ayesha Zafar for praise, calling her a senior player who knows how to take responsibility and saying she did that really well today. She also has kind words for Gull Feroza, saying she batted brilliantly. On her own contribution with the ball, she says as an all-rounder, she tries to give her best and hopes it goes in the team's favour. About their struggles while batting, she is honest, saying there is plenty to work on and there will be a lot of discussions once they get back home. She is confident they will put in the work and come back as a stronger unit.

The captain of Netherlands Women - Babette de Leede says the bowlers were excellent and did a really good job of restricting Pakistan to 126. She admits it was frustrating with the bat. Mentions that playing against some of the best teams in the world is crucial for the side's development and provides invaluable experience. Babette describes their maiden Women's T20 World Cup campaign as an incredible experience, says they will take plenty away from it, and believes this is only the beginning for them. She points out that only a couple of players in the squad are professional cricketers and, considering that, says she is immensely proud of what the team has achieved.

Time for a chat with the captains...

Set up, but not cashed in - Earlier, after being asked to bat first, Pakistan got the better of the middle phase of the innings, but the finish left much to be desired. The 79-run stand between Gull Feroza and Ayesha Zafar laid a decent platform to kick on, but once the Dutch broke that partnership, they burst through with regular wickets and shut the door on any late flourish.

No way out - In pursuit of 127, the Netherlands began with promise as Heather Siegers got them off the blocks quickly before Pakistan hit back by removing both openers. From there, Pakistan's spinners took complete control of the middle overs and never allowed the chase to gather momentum. Babette de Leede fought a lone battle, but even she could not break free as Pakistan's spinners kept a firm stranglehold on the innings and put the game beyond the Dutch.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Gull Feroza takes home the award for her unbeaten knock of 63 runs from 52 balls. Feroza is all smiles, and she says it was an important knock not only for her but also for her team. When asked about the pitch, she says the pitch was a little tricky, and the plan was to stay in and rotate the strike. When wickets fell, she says they had to adjust their approach on the go, but they made the most of the bad balls they received. On the mindset coming into the game, she says the goal was simple - to win and finish the tournament on a good note, and she feels this victory means a great deal to the group. She signs off with a warm message to the fans, thanking them for coming out and backing Pakistan throughout the tournament.

Pakistan sign off with a win - Made to work hard with the bat, Pakistan left a few runs out there, but their bowling unit more than made up for it with a clinical performance. The disappointment is evident on the faces of Babette de Leede and her teammates as they walk out to shake hands. It was a commendable effort from the Dutch with the ball to restrict Pakistan to 126, but they just could not find a way out of Pakistan's spin choke. Still, there is plenty for them to be proud of from their maiden Women's T20 World Cup campaign, and they walk over to acknowledge the travelling Orange Army for their unwavering support.

Caroline de Lange walks in next. A slip in place for the hat-trick ball.

Silver Siegers is in next.

Hannah Landheer walks out to bat. Pace back on through the skipper Fatima Sana.

The new batter is Iris Zwilling.

It looks like Sadia Iqbal has pulled a muscle in her left leg. The physio is out to have a look.