Pakistan produced a much-improved display to defeat Holland and book their place in the Super Eights of the World Twenty20.
Pakistan were thrashed by England on Sunday and were staring at elimination heading into their game with the Dutch.
Holland were on a high having beaten England in the opening game of the competition, but they failed to repeat those heroics as Pakistan claimed an 82-run victory.
Pakistan elected to bat first in this must-win encounter and they got off to a positive start as Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal put on 38 for the first wicket.
Ryan ten Doeschate struck to remove Butt for 18 but Shoaib Malik kept up the momentum with 30 off 28 balls.
Akmal fell to Peter Seelaar but Younis Khan added some real urgency to their innings with 36 off 20 balls and Misbah Ul Haq’s unbeaten 31 off 20 balls took Pakistan to 175/5 off their 20 overs.
The magic number to take the Dutch into the next stage was 151 and they were in desperate need of a positive start, but Darron Reekers (13) skied a catch to Sohail Tanveer.
The experienced Bas Zuiderent (13) looked in good touch, but was deceived by a quick leg-spinner from Shahid Afridi and lost his off stump.
The right arm off spin of Saeed Ajmal proved too good for Alexei Kervezee and Peter Borren.
Afridi’s batting may have fallen away, but he is now a top class leg spinner and he returned to knock over Tom de Grooth, the hero against England, and Daan van Bunge to finish with figures of 4-11 off 4 overs.
Ten Doeschate was the Dutch’s last hope, but he fell to a smart stumping from Karman Akmal and Pakistan were able to wrap up the win that booked their passage into the next phase.
South Africa beat New Zealand by 1-run in their dead Group D encounter at Lord's under the floodlights.
The Springboks were restricted to 128-7 from their 20 overs with Graeme Smith top scoring with 33 while Ian Butler took 2-13.
In reply, Jacob Oram was run out off the final ball of the Kiwis innings [127-5]with four needed to win, after Brendon McCullum had given them a lively start with 57.