Sri Lanka conclude T20 World Cup with a comfortable 83-run win over Netherlands

Gros Islet: Sri Lanka T20 World Cup The 2024 campaign ended with a stunning 83-run win over the Netherlands at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium on Sunday (local time). This meant they finished third in Group D with three points, behind South Africa and Bangladesh, who had already sealed their place in the Super Eights by beating Nepal in Kingstown.

Sri Lanka’s victory was built by their batsmen and executed superbly by their bowlers. Nuwan Thushara took 3 wickets for 24 runs, while Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dasun Shanaka and Mathisha Pathirana also played well as the Netherlands were bowled out for 118 in their chase of 202. The Netherlands’ chances of reaching the Super Eights are over as they suffered a defeat against Sri Lanka, who were looking to end the season on a high. The Dutch team started the day with a strong chance to advance, but that changed when Bangladesh won their other match of Group D to seal the Tigers’ place. The Netherlands got off to a great start in their chase of 202 as openers Michael Levitt and Max O’Dowd made the most of the powerplay. O’Dowd (11 off 8 balls) was dismissed in the fifth over, while Levitt (31 off 23 balls) was stumped off the second last ball of the sixth over. However, 47/2 from the powerplay was a good total, giving the Netherlands more than one chance.

Control began to shift in the seventh over when Vikramjit Singh (7 off 10 balls) was dismissed. Sybrand Engelbrecht took the next over and Hasaranga took two wickets halfway through the innings, leaving the Dutch side well behind on the scoreline. The captain struck again in the 12th over, stumping Pringle, completing a five-over spell that yielded five wickets. The Netherlands were 83/7 with eight overs remaining. Captain Scott Edwards tried his best to keep the Dutch team in the contest, scoring 31 off 24 balls. His dismissal in the 17th over dashed any small chance the European team had.

Sri Lanka ended it by taking the final wicket two balls later; the Netherlands were all out for 118. Bangladesh and South Africa have reached the second round of the World Cup from Group D. Earlier, electing to bowl first, Vivian Kingma gave Sri Lanka an early jolt when he dismissed Pathum Nissanka for a duck in the very first over of the game. Sri Lanka made steady progress during the powerplay though, moving towards 40 runs in the first five overs before Paul van Meekeren took the crucial wicket in the sixth over, ending the innings of Kamindu Mendis (17 off 20 balls). The Lions were 45/2 after six overs. With extra fielders, Sri Lanka struggled to score runs until two boundaries in three balls at the end of the ninth over. Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva applied pressure, taking their score to 74/2 at the half-time of the innings and laying a solid foundation. Aryan Dutt was brought back into the attack and the bowler dismissed the well-set batsman Mendis for 46. Dhananjaya changed gears and smashed two fours and a six off Paul van Meekeren for 16 runs. Charith Asalanka then smashed a six and a four off Aryan in the 14th over of the game. Angelo Mathews smashed two sixes and a four off Tim Pringle for 19 runs. Asalanka smashed two consecutive sixes before losing his wicket off Logan van Beek for 46. An unbeaten partnership of 35 runs off 14 balls between Angelo Mathews and Wanindu Hasaranga took their team’s total to 201/6 in 20 overs. Brief scores: Sri Lanka 201/6 (Kusal Mendis 46, Charith Asalanka 46; Logan van Beek 2-45) vs Netherlands 85 (Michael Levitt 31, Scott Edwards 31; Nuwan Thushara 3-24). (ANI)