Sri Lanka ended their otherwise dismal ICC T20 World Cup 2024 campaign on a high, defeating Netherlands by a massive 83-run margin in Gros Islet, St Lucia (West Indies) on Monday, June 17. (Highlights | Scorecard | Full Coverage)
Wanindu Hasaranga's team first posted a mammoth 201-run total on the board, then shot out the Dutch for 118 runs. While Sri Lanka were already out of Super Eight reckoning, Netherlands needed Nepal to beat Bangladesh to stand any chance of qualifying. As that did not happen, the result of this game became immaterial.
The Sri Lankan middle order fired, with veteran Angelo Mathews (30 off 15 balls) and captain Hasaranga (20 off six balls) propped up the scoring rate but it was left-hander Charith Asalanka's 21-ball-46 that was the real difference in their innings. Asalanka, who was later adjudged the Player Of The Match, struck five sixes as Sri Lanka went past the 200-run mark, amassing 77 runs in the last five overs.
In reply, Netherlands openers Michael Levitt (31) and Max O'Dowd (11) put together 45 runs in just 4.2 overs but once Maheesh Theekshana dismissed Levitt, there was hardly any resistance from the other batters.
Nuwan Thushara (3/24) was the pick of the Lankan bowlers, and Chennai Super Kings star Matheesha Pathirana (2/12) too was on song with his trademark yorkers.
From being 45 for no loss in the first five overs, the Netherlands lost half of the side by the time they reached the 10-over mark. Any remote chances of an impressive win ended then and there.
Playing XIs
Netherlands: Michael Levitt, Max ODowd, Vikramjit Singh, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Scott Edwards(w/c), Bas de Leede, Logan van Beek, Tim Pringle, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren, Vivian Kingma.
Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Wanindu Hasaranga(c), Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Maheesh Theekshana, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana.
