SAINT LUCIA: A combined team effort earned Sri Lanka their only victory in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 as they thumped the Netherlands by 83 runs here at Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
In the last Group D fixture, the Netherlands bundled out for 118 in 16.4 overs while chasing a mammoth 202.
The Dutch side got off to a flying start courtesy of a 45-run opening partnership between Michael Levitt and Max O’Dowd (11), with the former scoring the bulk of runs.
Nuwan Thushara provided the breakthrough to force Sri Lanka’s comeback as he removed O’Dowd in 4.3 overs.
Meanwhile, Levitt, who scored 31 off 23 with the help of two boundaries and three sixes, fell prey to Maheesh Theekshana in the next over to leave the Netherlands reeling at 47-2.
The Netherlands failed to recover from two quick wickets and kept losing wickets at an alarming rate. Skipper Scott Edwards played a fighting knock of 31 runs from 24 balls, however, he could not find support from the other end.
Thushara dismissed Edwards and Paul van Meekeren in three balls to wrap the Dutch innings at 118 in the 17th over.
For Sri Lanka, Thushara claimed three wickets, while Wanindu Hasaranga and Matheesha Pathirana bagged two wickets each.
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Earlier, the Netherlands opted to bowl first and reduced Sri Lanka to 39-2 inside the powerplay.
Kusal Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva then joined hands to add 45 runs for the third wicket in 35 balls before Arryan Dutt sent the former back.
Mendis scored a 29-ball 46 with the help of five boundaries.
Dhananjaya de Silva (34) then added 39 runs with Charith Asalanka in a 21-ball partnership for the fourth wicket, pushing the team’s total to 123 in the 15th over.
Asalanka smashed five sixes and one boundary on his way to a 21-ball 46 before Logan van Beek sent him back to the pavilion.
Angelo Mathews (30*) and Wanindu Hasaranga (20) played quick valuable cameos to push the team’s total to 201-6 in their allocated 20 overs.
Logan van Beek topped the wicket-takers chart for the Netherlands with two wickets, while Vivian Kingma, Aryan Dutt and Paul van Meekeren managed one apiece.
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