Sri Lanka beat Netherlands in Super Twelve
There was also a feeling of disappointment on the Netherlands bench. 44 runs needed from 18 balls, only 2 wickets in hand. Where is the chance to win!
Sri Lankan team players cheer after defeating the Dutch । Photo: AFP
But Max O'Dowd had something different in mind. He has already played 35 balls to score 38 runs. However, he hoped to clear the tough equation in the last three overs. Binura Fernando, who came to bowl, hit boundaries in the first three balls — six, four, four.
Two more sixes off Mahesh Tikshana in the next over. A match that was almost out of reach is now within reach. But how much more can be handled by running the bat alone. Had to stop early as no big shot came from the other end.
Chasing Sri Lanka's 162 for 6, the Netherlands were restricted to 146 for 9. Despite being unbeaten on 71 from 53 balls, O'Dowd was a 16-run loser.
With this victory, Sri Lanka reached the Super Twelve of the T20 World Cup. However, the chances of the losing Netherlands are not over. In the other match of the day, the Netherlands will advance to the next round if the UAE beat Namibia.
If they win, Namibia will advance to Super Twelve in run rate.
The Netherlands went into the game at Cardinia Oval in Geelong with 4 points from two wins. However, the margin of victory against Namibia and UAE was small and the run rate was also low. In contrast, Sri Lanka, who started the tournament with a loss to Namibia, had 2 points in their reserves to beat the Emirates.
But the only win was by a bigger margin (79 runs) so the run rate was quite good. That's why the Lankans had a chance to go down in the first round if they won. And Kushal Mendis took advantage of that opportunity to take Sri Lanka to the Super Twelve.
Wanindu Hasaranga played a big role in stopping the Netherlands with 3 wickets for 28 runs. Before that, it was Kushal who did the main work of building a capital of more than 150 rans.
After winning the toss and coming down to bat, Patum Nishanka struggled to score runs from the beginning. After Nishanka got out for 14 runs off 21 balls, the others had to struggle the same. But Kushal, holding one end, was batting against different wickets and different bowling!
He played an innings of 79 runs off 44 balls before being dismissed in the second ball of the 20th over. It was his ninth fifty of his T20 career, with 5 fours and 5 sixes. Sri Lanka scored 102 runs in the last 10 overs thanks to Kushal's skill at the end. Apart from Kushal, the other 7 batsmen of the team scored 79 runs. Charit Asalanka scored the second highest 31 runs off 30 balls.
However, Sri Lanka was in a bit of a quandary despite picking up 162 runs on the scoreboard. Especially how much the absence of first choice pacers suffers.
Dilshan Madushanka was knocked out the day before the first match. Another pacer Dushmant Chamira's tournament ended the day before the third match. After the two who could be counted on, Pramad Madushan is also out of the playing XI due to illness.
Max O'Dowd (left) failed to beat the Netherlands with an unbeaten innings of 71 off 53 balls। Photo:AFP
With the absence of three main bowlers, Sri Lanka have lined up the bowling department with spinners. Dhananjaya with Hasaranga and Tikshana.
Lahiru Kumara's pace partner Chamira has been replaced by Binura. Binura also put the team in danger by conceding 15 runs to O'Dowd in the 18th over. But the spinners took control of the match earlier. Hasaranga took 3 wickets with 28 runs in 4 overs, Tikshana took 2 wickets with 32 runs in the same over.
With these two Kumara and Binura taking one wicket each, Sri Lanka took 8 wickets from the Netherlands for 109 runs. The match almost ended there. But it was O'Dowd's flurry of innings that made it a bit longer.
But in the end, Sri Lanka is smiling; To win, and also to make it to the Super Twelve.
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