Sri Lanka earn 1st win out of 4 beating Netherlands by 5 wkts

Sadeera Samarawickrama’s unbeaten 91 guided Sri Lanka to their first win of the World Cup against the Netherlands after three straight defeats.

Sri Lanka overtook the target of 263 runs losing five wickets with 10 balls remaining in the 19th game of the tournament at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Saturday.
In reply to 262, they fell under a bit of pressure after they lost two wickets for just 52 runs. Pathum Nissanka (54) was excellent with the bat having a well-made fifty while making a 52-run stand with Sadeera Samarawickrama (91).

After that, Sadeera took the game under control making a 77-run stand with Charith Asalanka (44) which steadied the ship for Sri Lanka. Later, Dhananjaya de Silva (30) added some notable runs to ease the chasing for Sri Lanka in 48.2 overs.

Aryan Dutt got the highest three wickets for the Netherlands while each from Paul van Meekeren and Colin Ackermann took one.

Earlier, the Dutches posted a fighting 262, with Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek making a 130-run stand in the seventh wicket, the highest partnership in World Cup history, after losing six wickets in 91 runs.

Engelbrecht hit 70 off 82 balls which was his maiden fifty in ODIs, after he made his international debut in the tournament at the age of 35.

Van Beek (59) also scored a fifty and took the Dutches past the 250-run mark.

Dilshan Madushanka and Kasun Rajitha, taking four wickets each, were the picks of the bowlers for Sri Lanka.

Playing XI’s:

Sri Lanka : Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis(w/c), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka.

Netherlands: Vikramjit Singh, Max ODowd, Colin Ackermann, Bas de Leede, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Teja Nidamanuru, Scott Edwards(w/c), Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren.