Pakistan produced an innings of considerably greater intent than they managed in their crushing defeat against England on Sunday, but were nevertheless denied the monstrous total that they, and their tournament prospects, so craved, as they were thwarted by yet another mature and assured bowling display from a Netherlands attack that stuck to its strengths and minimized its errors.

In their 20 overs, Pakistan were restricted to 175 for 5, which means that Netherlands, on account of their superior run-rate, will need to make at least 151 in reply to continue their stunning run in the competition and join England in the Super Eights stage. Though Pakistan’s captain, Younis Khan, played down the seriousness of this competition when he derided it as “fun”, the second half of this contest promise to be very serious indeed.

The tone of the Pakistan innings was set during their six Powerplay overs, in which they raced to 50 for 1. Salman Butt, singled out by his captain after the England match for the woeful state of his fielding, responded with the aggression of a man whose job was on the line as he whipped his first ball, from Dirk Nannes, through midwicket for four, before launching Edgar Schiferli over the covers and into the Mound Stand for six.

But just as Butt was beginning to cut loose, the introduction of Ryan ten Doeschate brought about his demise. With 18 from 13 balls, he opened his shoulders and aimed over the covers, but drilled the ball straight into the cool hands of Peter Borren at mid-off. Shoaib Malik, however, responded with two fours in three balls, a simple flick off the pads and a sumptuous inside-out drive through the covers, to keep Pakistan’s momentum ticking.

On 14, Malik was badly dropped at backward point as Bas Zuiderent fumbled a loose cut off ten Doeschate, and in the same over, Kamran Akmal lofted a sweet six over the covers, having found his range in the previous with another six, this time over midwicket, off Borren. At 77 for 1 with 11 overs remaining, Pakistan looked as though they were pulling clear.

But Netherlands showed from a similar position against England that they are a side who will not give up, and Borren combined with the 21-year-old offspinner, Pieter Seelaar, to put the brakes back on the innings. Having reached 41 from 29 balls, Akmal found himself frustrated in a beautifully slow and teasing second over from Seelaar, which ended with an ambitious drill over midwicket, and a heart-in-the-mouth juggling catch from Edgar Schiferli in front of the Tavern Stand.