Cricket World Cup 2023: Sri Lanka beat Netherlands for first win
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Sadeera Samarawickrama hit an unbeaten 91
ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023: |
Netherlands 262 (49.4 overs): Engelbrecht 70 (82), Van Beek 59 (75); Madushanka 4-49, Rajitha 4-50 |
Sri Lanka 263-5 (48.2 overs): Samarawickrama 91* (107), Nissanka 54 (52); Dutt 3-44 |
Sri Lanka won by five wickets |
Sri Lanka avoided becoming victims of another Netherlands upset to record their first victory of the 2023 World Cup in Lucknow.
The Dutch, who shocked South Africa on Tuesday, recovered from 91-6 to post 262 all out thanks to 70 from Sybrand Engelbrecht and 59 by Logan van Beek.
Sri Lanka were 52-2 and then 104-3 when Pathum Nissanka fell for 54, only to be steadied by Sadeera Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka.
Asalanka was bowled for 44 by Aryan Dutt - a third wicket for the off-spinner - with 83 still required, but Samarawickrama remained to manage the chase and end 91 not out.
Despite some curiously slow progress as they neared their target, Sri Lanka completed the win with five wickets and 10 deliveries in hand.
Sri Lanka are the last of the 10 teams in the tournament to register their first win. They join the Dutch on two points, two points outside the top four in the group table.
Sri Lanka move on to meet England in Bangalore on Thursday, reuniting head coach Chris Silverwood with the side he led between 2019 and 2022.
The Netherlands take on five-time champions Australia in Delhi on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka see off Dutch spirit
This was almost a copy of the Netherlands' incredible win over South Africa in Dharamsala. The Dutch rallied from a poor start with the bat, gained momentum at the back of their innings and took early wickets with the ball.
On this occasion, though, Sri Lanka were able to withstand the pressure to ensure they did not suffer a first defeat by the Netherlands in any format of the game.
After the Netherlands won the toss, Sri Lanka opening bowlers Dilshan Madushanka and Kasun Rajitha swung the new ball to rip through the top order. Both finished with four wickets.
But Engelbrecht, playing only his third ODI, and Van Beek combined for a partnership of 130, the highest for the seventh wicket in World Cup history.
Both men made their highest ODI scores, growing from a position where the Dutch went more than 20 overs without hitting a boundary.
On a pitch showing some inconsistent bounce, 1996 champions Sri Lanka could have been challenged by their target, especially when key men Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis fell inside the powerplay, both to Dutt.
Samarawickrama could have been stumped by Dutch captain Scott Edwards before he had scored, albeit from a tough chance down the leg side.
Reprieved, he added 52 with Nissanka and 77 with Asalanka, the latter bowled attempting a sweep to give Dutt his third.
Any suggestion of a late Netherlands fightback was ended by the arrival of Dhananjaya de Silva, even if the 76 he added with Samarawickrama was a painstaking crawl towards the target.
Dhananjaya was bowled for 30, swiping at the off-spin of Colin Ackermann, leaving Dushan Hemantha to hit the winning boundary.