Sri Lanka emerged victorious in a thrilling World Cup Qualifier final against the Netherlands, winning by a comprehensive margin of 128 runs. The match, played at Harare Sports Club, saw the Netherlands winning the toss and electing to bowl first. The decision paid off initially as the Dutch fast bowlers capitalized on the favorable conditions, causing trouble for the Sri Lankan batsmen.
Sri Lanka’s opening duo, Pathum Nissanka & Sadeera Samarawickrama provided a solid start. However, their partnership was cut short by the Netherlands’ Vikramjit Singh, who induced a drive from Samarawickrama, resulting in a brilliant catch by Noah Croes at short extra cover. Samarawickrama departed after contributing 19 runs. Singh struck again, dismissing Nissanka for 23 as Aryan Dutt took an exceptional catch at fine leg.
Kusal Mendis and Sahan Arachchige then initiated a rebuilding phase for Sri Lanka, gradually increasing the scoring rate. The pair managed to establish a promising platform, reaching a partnership of 72 runs. However, Saqib Zulfiqar disrupted their progress by trapping Mendis lbw for 43. Despite a review, Mendis had to depart after a valuable contribution. At the halfway mark, Sri Lanka’s score stood at 124/3, keeping the contest finely balanced. Arachchige, accompanied by Charith Asalanka, built another crucial partnership but failed to convert it into a substantial one. They added 64 runs before Zulfiqar struck again, dismissing Arachchige for an impressive 57.
The Netherlands’ bowlers continued to dominate as Dhananjaya de Silva fell for 4 against the bowling of Ryan Klein. The Dutch team’s fruitful spell yielded four wickets in four overs, leaving Sri Lanka struggling. Despite the efforts of the lower-order batsmen and Wanindu Hasaranga’s crucial contribution of 29 runs, Sri Lanka could only muster a total of 233 runs in 47.5 overs. In response, the Netherlands faced a disastrous start, losing a flurry of wickets within the opening 10 overs. Dilshan Madushanka initiated the proceedings, dismissing Vikramjit for 13 with a soft shot. Madushanka followed it up by uprooting Wesley Baressi’s middle stump, sending him back for a duck. Wanindu Hasaranga, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, joined the action, trapping Teja Nidamanuru for a duck. Madushanka claimed another wicket, dismissing Noah Croes for 7. O’Dowd’s labored knock of 33 eventually came to an end as Maheesh Theekshana clean-bowled him. Theekshana struck again, dismissing Ryan Klein lbw for 2, and in the same over, accounted for Aryan Dutt, also lbw, without the batsman scoring a run. Theekshana sealed the victory for Sri Lanka by bowling out Clayton Floyd for 9, as the Netherlands were bundled out for 105 runs. Sri Lanka’s commanding performance ensured their triumph in the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier. They displayed resilience with both bat and ball, overpowering the Netherlands to secure their place in the upcoming World Cup.
