Picture : ICC/ X
Sadeera Samarawickrama displayed grit and determination unbeaten half-century as he guided Sri Lanka to a clinical five-wicket win over the Netherlands and secured their first victory in this World Cup
Earlier South African-born Sybrand Engelbrecht (70) and Logan van Beek (59) led a remarkable recovery with maiden half-centuries to help the Netherlands post a fighting 262 after they opted to bat.
The 35-year-old Engelbrecht, who had retired from all forms of cricket after playing for Cape Cobras in South Africa in 2016 only to be back playing for the Netherlands, was at his best during a gritty 82-ball 70.
Engelbrecht, who came in at No 7, hit one six and four fours in his knock and shared a 130-run partnership with No 8 batter Logan van Beek. Van Beek also secured a maiden fifty as the pair turned the tide for the Dutch after they were reeling at 91 for six in the 22nd over.
Comeback man Kasun Rajitha (4/50) and their in-form left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka (4/49) were the pick of the Lankan bowlers but they lacked support at the other end as the Dutchmen made rapid progress following their seventh-wicket partnership.
Dutch off-spinner Aryan Dutt (3/44) snared Kusal Perera (5) and skipper Kusal Mendis (8) inside the powerplay, but Sri Lanka never lost sight of the target on a dry and spinning Ekana pitch with Samarawickrama anchoring their chase without taking any risks.
Lending solidity to the middle-order, Samarawickrama, who slammed a maiden ODI hundred against Pakistan earlier, got to a well-deserved half-century — his sixth in ODIs — in 53 balls en route to his unbeaten knock of 91 to seal Sri Lanka’s chase with 10 balls to spare.
Pathum Nissanka (54; 52b) came up with a third straight half-century to set it up before Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka took the chase away from the Netherlands in a 77-run fourth-wicket stand.
For the Dutch bowlers, the execution was missing unlike their upset win over South Africa at Dharamsala three days back.
Match: World Cup 2023, 19th Match
Venue: Lucknow | Date: October 21, 2023
