LUCKNOW
\nSadeera Samarawickrama scored an unbeaten 91 after Dilshan Madushanka and Kasun Rajitha\u2019s four-fers to power Sri Lanka to edge the Netherlands by five wickets in the ICC World Cup 2023.
\nSet to chase 263, Sri Lanka knocked off the winning runs for the loss of five wickets and 10 balls to spare to taste their maiden success in the ICC World Cup 2023.
\nThe Asian side had a contrasting start to the pursuit as they lost their opener Kusal Perera (5) perished cheaply with just 18 runs on the board in the fifth over.
\nPathum Nissanka then put together a brief 34-run partnership with skipper Kusal Mendis, who could score a 17-ball 11 before walking back to the dugout in the 10th over.
\nComing out to bat at number four, Sadeera Samarawickrama joined Nissanka in the middle and they put together an important 52-run partnership before the opening batter finally perished in the 17th over.
\nHe scored 54 in 52 deliveries, hitting nine boundaries.
\nSamarawickrama was then involved in yet another crucial partnership for Sri Lanka when he added 77 runs for the fourth wicket with Charith Asalanka, who scored a cautious 44.
\nHe then put together a 76-run partnership with Dhananjaya de Silva, who fell for a 37-ball 30 in the 47th over when Sri Lanka needed a mere six runs.
\nAll-rounder Dushan Hemantha (4*) then scored the winning runs for Sri Lanka with a boundary while Samarawickrama stood firm at the non-striker end.
\nHe top-scored for Sri Lanka with an unbeaten 91 in 107 deliveries with the help of seven boundaries.
\nAryan Dutt was the pick of the bowlers for the Netherlands, claiming three wickets while Paul van Meekeren and Colin Ackermann struck out a batter apiece.<\/p>\n
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\nThe Netherlands entered this match with momentum from their 38-run victory over South Africa and opted to bat first against Sri Lanka, who are yet to win a game in the tournament.
\nHowever, Kasun Rajitha bowled a brilliant spell with the new ball and reduced Netherlands to 54-3 in 12 overs.
\nDilshan Madushanka bowled equally well from the other end and sent the next two Dutch batters back to the pavilion before Maheesh Theekshana bowled Scott Edwards to leave the Netherlands reeling at 91-6.<\/p>\n
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\nSri Lanka were all set to bundle out Netherlands quickly, but Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek scripted a gutsy recovery for the Dutch side.
\nThey knitted a formidable 130-run partnership for the seventh wicket to pull their team out of the trouble.
\nEngelbrecht scored 70 off 82, with the help of four boundaries and one six before Madushanka bowled him and broke the partnership at a total of 221.
\nVan Beek played an anchoring innings on the other end and completed his maiden half-century to help drag his team\u2019s total to 252.
\nHe was dismissed while attempting to send Rajitha\u2019s slower ball over mid-wicket but was caught by Asalanka. His 75-ball 59 featured only one boundary and a six.
\nPaul van Meekeren was the last man to fall for the Netherlands in the final over at 262.
\nMadushanka claimed 4-49, while Rajitha returned with 4-50.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LUCKNOW Sadeera Samarawickrama scored an unbeaten 91 after Dilshan Madushanka and Kasun Rajitha\u2019s four-fers to power Sri Lanka to edge the Netherlands by five wickets in the ICC World Cup 2023. Set to chase 263, Sri Lanka knocked off the winning runs for the loss of five wickets and 10 balls to spare to taste […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":363142,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-363126","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n