The Dutch team started the day with hopes of progressing, but those hopes were dashed as Bangladesh won their match against Nepal
17 June, 2024
PHOTO: AFP
Sri Lanka secured a decisive victory over the Netherlands, winning by 83 runs at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia, on Monday. This defeat ended the Netherlands' hopes of advancing to the Super Eights, as a focused Sri Lankan team aimed to finish their tournament on a high note.
The Dutch team started the day with hopes of progressing, but those hopes were dashed as Bangladesh won their match against Nepal, securing their own advancement. The Netherlands, having won the toss, opted to bowl first. Despite being unaware of Bangladesh’s progressing match, the Netherlands appeared determined.
Sri Lanka began steadily, scoring close to 40 runs in the first five overs of the Powerplay. However, Paul van Meekeren took a crucial wicket in the sixth over, dismissing Kamindu Mendis for 17 runs. At the end of the Powerplay, Sri Lanka was at 45/2.
Runs were hard to come by initially, but a couple of boundaries towards the end of the ninth over gave Sri Lanka some momentum. Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva then built on this, pushing Sri Lanka to 74/2 at the midway point of their innings. Mendis eventually fell for 46 off 29 balls, but not before laying a strong foundation. De Silva's boundaries in the 13th over brought up the century mark for Sri Lanka.
Charith Asalanka joined the fray and continued the aggressive play with a four and a six. Although Tim Pringle managed to dismiss de Silva in the 15th over, Asalanka and Angelo Matthews kept up the pressure. Asalanka scored 46 off 21 balls before being dismissed in the 18th over. Captain Winindu Hasaranga and Matthews added a further 35 runs, pushing Sri Lanka to a formidable total of 201/6, with Matthews remaining unbeaten on 30 off 15 balls.
In response, the Netherlands started well, with openers Michael Levitt and Max O’Dowd capitalizing on the Powerplay. Despite losing O’Dowd and Levitt by the end of the Powerplay, the Dutch had a respectable 47/2. However, Sri Lanka regained control as Vikramjit Singh was dismissed in the seventh over, followed by Sybrand Engelbrecht and two more wickets from Hasaranga around the innings’ midpoint. This collapse left the Netherlands at 83/7 with eight overs remaining.
Captain Scott Edwards fought valiantly, top-scoring with 31 runs off 24 balls, but his dismissal in the 17th over sealed the Netherlands' fate. Sri Lanka wrapped up the innings shortly after, with the Netherlands all out for 118.
With this victory, Sri Lanka effectively ended the Netherlands' campaign while Bangladesh, alongside South Africa, advanced from Group D to the World Cup’s second round.
