Sri Lanka opened their World Cup account with a solid win in Lucknow. Sadeera Samarawickrama scored a gritty 91 as Sri Lanka trudged to a 5-wicket win over the Netherlands on Saturday. This was also the Lankan Lions’ first win in the 2023 edition of the tournament.
Earlier, Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek led a remarkable recovery with maiden half-centuries to help the Netherlands post a fighting 262 against Sri Lanka in the World Cup on Saturday. The duo shared a 130-run partnership to help the Dutch recover from 91 for six in the 22nd over.
Earlier, the Dutch skipper Scott Edwards opted to bat after winning the toss. The Dutchmen retained their team that produced a stunning upset against South Africa in their last fixture on October 17.
Sri Lanka came into the match on the back of 3 losses on the trot as they lay at the bottom of the 10-team standings. The Dutch have 2 points from 3 matches and occupy the eighth place. With this win, Sri Lanka is at the 9th place in the points table.
Scores:
- Netherlands: 262 (49.4 overs)
- Sri Lanka: 263/5 (48.2 overs)
Match Highlights
- Sadeera Samarawickrama’s 91 runs were crucial in securing the win for Sri Lanka.
- The Netherlands’ Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek both scored their maiden half-centuries in a strong partnership.
- Sri Lanka’s victory was their first in the 2023 World Cup edition after starting with three consecutive losses.
Backstory
- The Netherlands had previously caused an upset by defeating South Africa, which had set expectations for their performance in this match.
- Sri Lanka, despite being a strong cricketing nation, had a rough start to the tournament, making this win a significant morale booster.
Interesting Stats
- The 130-run partnership between Engelbrecht and van Beek was a standout performance, especially after the team’s shaky start at 91 for six.
- This match’s result affected the standings, with Sri Lanka moving up to the 9th place and the Netherlands at the 8th in the World Cup points table.
