Pakistan break their duck with comfortable win against Netherlands

Dramatic final-ball defeats to India and Zimbabwe in their opening Group Two matches had taken Pakistan's fate out of their own hands and pushed them to the brink of an early exit.

But the 2009 champions kept themselves in contention for at least the time being by finally recording their first win of the tournament after breezing past the lowest-ranked nation involved in the Super 12.

The Netherlands were restricted to meagre total of just 91 for nine from their 20 overs en route to being eliminated following a third successive loss, with Colin Ackermann top scoring with 27 from as many deliveries.

All-rounder Shadab Khan took three Dutch wickets at Optus Stadium, including trapping Ackermann lbw in the 15th over, while Mohammad Wasim chipped in with two.

Pakistan then made relatively light work of the modest chase, finishing with 37 balls to spare.

Captain Babar Azam was run out for four by Roelof van der Merwe at the end of the second over but Mohammad Rizwan steadied the ship before falling one run short of his half-century, having hit five boundaries in a knock of 49 from 39 balls.

Shadab Khan sealed the win - Pakistan's first T20I success in Australia - by driving through mid-off for four on the second ball he faced after Shan Masood was denied the match-winning moment by a catch from Paul van Meekeren off the bowling of Brandon Glover.