Saturday, October 21, 2023
Sri Lanka defeated the Netherlands to secure their first win in the ongoing 2023 World Cup on Saturday.
Second-placed Islanders completed the 263-run chase in the 49th over to secure a five-wicket win, their first in the mega-event.
Sri Lanka are currently ninth in the points table with two points as they have lost three of the four matches they have played so far in the tournament.
Sadeera Samarawickrama top scored with 91 runs in 107 balls with the help of seven fours. Meanwhile, Pathum Nissanka scored 54 runs in 52 balls while Charith Asalanka contributed 44 runs.
After losing two wickets for 52 runs, Nissanka and Samarawickrama added 52 runs in 40 balls for the third wicket. After Nissanka's departure, Samarawickrama amassed 77 runs in 99 balls along with Asalanka to keep Sri Lanka on track during the run-chase.
Earlier, Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek scored their first one-day international fifties as the Netherlands recovered from a poor start to post 262 against Sri Lanka.
Engelbrecht, 35, reached his milestone off 65 balls with three fours and one six as the Dutch returned to action for the first time since their shock win against South Africa.
Van Beek went for his fifty off 68 balls with a single boundary.
South African-born Engelbrecht and New Zealand-born Van Beek helped the Dutch recover from 91-6, forming a seventh-wicket partnership of 130.
It ended when left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka clean-balled Englebrecht for 70 with the score on 221.
Van Beek was eventually dismissed for 59 when he became the fourth victim of fast bowler Kasuna Rajith.
Madushanka finished with figures of 4-49 while Rajitha had 4-50.
Worryingly for the Sri Lankans, they coughed up 33 extras, including 26 wides.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, the Netherlands saw Rajitha send back Vikramjit Singh (four), Max O´Dowd (16) and Colin Ackermann (29) as they slumped to 54-3.
Madushanka took the wickets of Bas de Leede and Tej Nidamanura before spinner Maheesh Theekshana grabbed the crucial wicket of captain Colin Edwards (16).
The Dutch went 20 overs without hitting a boundary before Engelbrecht and Van Beek started their rescue.
After losing two wickets for 52 runs, Nissanka and Samarawickrama added 52 runs in 40 balls for the third wicket. After Nissanka's departure, Samarawickrama amassed 77 runs in 99 balls along with Asalanka to keep Sri Lanka on track during the run-chase.
