After the Netherlands opted to bat first, Pakistan dominated from the start, before chasing down a meagre target with ease
Perth: Netherlands 91-9, Pakistan 95-4 - Pakistan win by six wickets
Pakistan kept themselves alive in the t20 World Cup with a net-run-rate-boosting win by six wickets over the Netherlands, their first T20I win in Australia.
After being asked to field first, Pakistan dominated from the off and were indebted to three wickets through the middle overs for Shadab Khan and a spell of 1 for 11 from Naseem Shah, his most economial effort in T20Is.
As for the Netherlands, they remain winless in the Super 12 phase and will be disappointed with the lack of resistance they offered with the bat in the face of Pakistan's bowling.
Shaheen Shah Afridi made the first breakthrough to claim his first wicket of the tournament, removing the experienced Stephan Myburgh in a powerplay entirely dominated by the pace and bounce of one of the tournament's quickest seam attacks.
This included Bas de Leede being forced to retire hurt after a frightening Haris Rauf delivery struck him in the grille; he left the field smiling but was replaced by Logan van Beek as a concussion substitution.
Shadab Khan benefited from his quicks restricting the Dutch to 19 for 1 through the first six overs, with a drag-down pulled to deep midwicket to remove Tom Cooper (1) and Max O'Dowd (8) trapped in front two overs later.
Bas de Leede was struck on the helmet by a sharp bouncer from Haris Rauf (Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Captain Scott Edwards and Colin Ackermann (27) put together a recovery partnership, but they were unable to push the run rate above five per over.
Edwards ramped a delivery straight to fine leg for 15 and Roelof van der Merwe, Tim Pringle and Fred Klaassen were all bowled as they scrambled to a mere 91 after a run out of the final ball.
In truth, the chase was more of an exercise for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to recapture some form after a difficult start to the tournament as 11 was taken off the first over.
Babar failed again as he was run out by van der Merwe for four, the first time he has made three single-digit scores in a row in T20Is.
Fakhar Zaman, who was returning from a seven-week injury lay-off faced a scare when he turned sharply but was caught smartly by Edwards in the next over off Brandon Glover for 20.
Rizwan fell one short of fifty as Pakistan limped over the line, with Shan Masood caught at third man a run from victory.