Sri Lanka emerged victorious in the 19th match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, delivering a commanding performance against the Netherlands.
This thrilling encounter, staged in Lucknow, underscored Sri Lanka’s excellence in both batting and bowling, resulting in a resounding five-wicket triumph.
Sri Lanka’s pursuit of victory got off to a promising start, but they encountered a brief setback during the first Powerplay when Aryan Dutt of the Netherlands struck swiftly, claiming two crucial wickets.
However, the Sri Lankan team regrouped and surged ahead, driven by stellar performances from Sadeera Samarawickrama (91*), Pathum Nissanka (54), and Charith Asalanka (44).
Earlier in the match, the Netherlands put up a commendable fight, with Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek both achieving half-centuries. Kasun Rajitha (4/50) and Dilshan Madushanka (4/49) played pivotal roles in Sri Lanka’s impressive bowling performance.
Sadeera Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka played a significant role in guiding Sri Lanka toward their target, with their partnership strengthening after the 25-over mark. Despite Asalanka’s departure for 44 in the 34th over, Sri Lanka remained in a favorable position to claim victory.
A pivotal partnership of 76 runs between Samarawickrama and Dhananjaya de Silva propelled Sri Lanka closer to their target, ultimately securing the win in the 49th over.
Aryan Dutt’s precise bowling posed a challenge to Sri Lanka during their chase of 263. Kusal Perera’s early dismissal further tested Sri Lanka, as he misjudged a cut shot, sending the ball straight into the hands of the short third man fielder.
Despite this, Pathum Nissanka’s aggressive and boundary-laden innings played a crucial role in keeping Sri Lanka’s chase on track. However, Dutt struck again in the final over of the Powerplay, dismissing Kusal Mendis with a mistimed sweep that landed in the hands of Paul van Meekeren at short fine leg.
Nissanka’s attacking fifty in the 15th over added momentum to Sri Lanka’s chase, but van Meekeren responded for the Netherlands in the 17th over, removing Nissanka for 54.
Charith Asalanka, batting at No.5, displayed composure and patience, while Samarawickrama continued to take calculated shots.
During the morning session, Sri Lanka’s Kasun Rajitha and Dilshan Madushanka caused early trouble for the Netherlands, reducing them to 91/6. Nevertheless, Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek forged a pivotal partnership for the Dutch, amassing 130 runs for the seventh wicket, setting a new Cricket World Cup record. Both batsmen reached their career-best scores, with Engelbrecht scoring 70 and van Beek finishing on 59.
Dilshan Madushanka (4/49) made a significant impact for Sri Lanka with a brilliant final spell, accounting for key wickets, including Engelbrecht and Roelof van der Merwe. Rajitha, with 4/50, also played a vital role in the early stages of the match.
The Sri Lankan spinners, led by Maheesh Theekshana, controlled the middle overs and made a crucial breakthrough by dismissing Netherlands captain Scott Edwards (16). This wicket proved pivotal, as the Netherlands had won the toss and elected to bat first.
Netherlands faced a challenging early period as Sri Lanka’s quick bowlers, Rajitha and Madushanka, exploited the conditions. Rajitha made an early impact, dismissing Netherlands opener Vikramjit Singh (4) and later toppling Max O’Dowd’s (16) stumps at the end of the Powerplay.
Colin Ackermann’s dismissal for 29 further deepened the Netherlands’ troubles, as he nicked a wide delivery to Kusal Mendis behind the stumps off Rajitha’s bowling. Rajitha ended his seven-over opening spell with impressive figures of 3/27.
Madushanka returned to dismiss Bas de Leede (6) and Teja Nidamanuru (9), securing Sri Lanka’s dominance in the match.
Sri Lanka’s victory marked a strong start to their campaign in the Cricket World Cup, following three consecutive losses. They made key lineup changes, introducing leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha and Asitha Fernando in place of Dunith Wellalage and Lahiru Kumara. The Netherlands maintained their lineup from the previous match, where they stunned South Africa.
This victory extended Sri Lanka’s unbeaten record against the Netherlands, with five wins in ODIs between the two teams, marking the first time Sri Lanka bowled first in their 50-over clashes.
Despite their strong start, the Netherlands carried momentum from their impressive win over South Africa into this match, making it an exhilarating contest.
