Pakistan face the Dutch - and the weather

When the World Cup fixture list appeared and Pakistan saw they had a match against the Netherlands in the delightful surroundings of Paarl, they would have welcomed the prospect with relish. Now, however, they will be approaching the game with rather more anxiety after their thrashing at the hands of England on Saturday just down the road in Cape Town.

Group A was always going to be tight, with Australia the favourites. Then it was thought that Pakistan, India and England would battle it out for the other two places in the next stage of the tournament. When England forfeited four points to Zimbabwe the equation took on a new element, for presuming that Zimbabwe pick up another eight points from matches against the Netherlands and Namibia, one more win would put them right in the shake-up.

The fact is that Pakistan's batting has taken on a fragile appearance that was ruthlessly exposed by England. They might have an impressive hand of match-winning bowlers, but the batsmen have to back them up and that has not been case recently.

It is perhaps fanciful to imagine that Pakistan's batsmen will fail to prosper against the Dutch collection of medium pacers but, given a receptive pitch, it is possible that they could make it very difficult for a side lacking confidence.

The problem for the men in the dazzling orange kit is that they will find it extremely hard to score enough runs to put pressure on the Pakistani batsmen. That will be a consoling thought for Pakistan, but there will be another fear lurking in the back of their minds. The weather.

Should rain prevent Pakistan from taking the expected four points from this match, and prevent them from enhancing their run-rate, their fate would rest with others as well as themselves. They would have to beat India and Zimbabwe in their remaining matches, and hope against hope that England can do to India what they suffered themselves.

They will be encouraged to know that the forecast is fine for the Winelands area of the Cape, but forecasters have been known to get it wrong. Just as Pakistan did on Saturday. At least the Pakistanis can take heart from the fact the Dutch will want to play whatever the weather. Against Australia, there would have been every reason for Roland Lefebvre, the Dutch captain, to take a look at conditions and claim the two points for an abandonment. He decided not to do so but gain the experience from playing the game.

Even so, Pakistan must hope that there is a bright blue sky and that this is not the day for the bright orange flags to be waving in celebration at the end.