In a hard-fought contest in Lucknow, Sri Lanka overcame the Netherlands by five wickets to secure their first win of the ongoing World Cup. The Island Nation took 48.2 overs to hunt down the target of 263 set by the Dutch side. Sadeera Samarawickrama turned out to be the bedrock of the Sri Lankan batting with an unbeaten 91.
The Dutch captain, after winning the toss, opted to bat first on a slow-turning wicket. The Netherlands faced early difficulties as pressure mounted. Their innings took an abrupt turn with the dismissal of Vikramjit Singh. Kasun Rajitha delivered a fine ball that nipped back, striking Vikramjit plumb in front.
Max O’Dowd followed suit, falling victim to Rajitha, edging an over-pitched delivery onto his stumps. Colin Ackermann, a standout player for the Netherlands, showed promise but fell short, departing after contributing 29 runs. Rajitha dominated proceedings, making it the ‘Rajitha Show’ until Sri Lanka’s emerging pace sensation, Dilshan Madushanka, joined the party. Madushanka swiftly dismantled the Dutch hopes by claiming the crucial wickets of Bas de Leede and Teja Nidamanuru.
At this point in the game, the Netherlands had found themselves in dire straits. Scott Ewards, upon whom they had relied, couldn’t replicate his heroics against South Africa. He got out early, scoring only 16 runs. They had lost six wickets and hadn’t even reached 100 runs on the scoreboard.
In the face of seemingly insurmountable odds, the Dutch team displayed determination, mounting a resurgence. The turning point came with the superb partnership between Logan van Beek and Sybrand Engelbrecht. Engelbrecht, aged 35, who came out of a hibernation after his stint with Cape Cobras in 2016, delivered an exceptional innings, notching up 70 runs from 82 balls. His performance was complemented by a substantial 130-run collaboration with the No. 8 batsman, Van Beek, who achieved a maiden half-century.
Sri Lanka’s innings didn’t start on a strong note as Kusal Perera departed early, managing just 5 runs. Credit goes to Aryan Dutt for his clever delivery, which deceived Perera. The pressure increased as they also lost their key batsman, Kusal Mendis, courtesy of Dutt’s smart bowling. Nissanka then accumulated a well-earned 54 runs from 52 deliveries but couldn’t convert his start into a substantial innings, leaving Sri Lanka in a precarious situation at 104-3.
The game hung in the balance, with both teams having a shot at victory. However, the pivotal contributions of Charith Asalanka, who scored 44 valuable runs from 66 balls, and Samarawickrama proved to be the difference between the two sides. Samarawickrama displayed composure, taking the responsibility of steering Sri Lanka to victory.
A few additional wickets for the Dutch could have easily turned the odds in their favor. Nevertheless, it’s evident that the Dutch team once again demonstrated exceptional character. While the loss will undoubtedly disappoint them, there are numerous positives to take from this performance. On the other hand, Sri Lanka can take satisfaction in earning points and keeping their tournament hopes alive.