Geelong: An unbeaten batting performance from Max ODowd went in vain as Sri Lanka defeated the Netherlands by 16 runs to secure a place in Super-12.
Wanindu Hasaranga’s brilliant bowling spell helped Sri Lanka restrict the Netherlands to 146/9 after Kusal Mendis played a superb inning to help their team reach a challenging total. Max ODowd remained unbeaten on 71 runs but could not take his team over the line as the Dutch team kept losing wickets regularly.
Chasing the target, the Netherlands got off to an awful start as they lost opener, Vikramjit Singh, cheaply in the fourth over to Maheesh Theekshana. Singh had been prolific for the Dutch, providing them with quick starts but the batter struggled with the bat when his team needed him most.
Lahiru Kumara dismissed Bas de Leede in the sixth over to end the Netherlands powerplay at 40-2.
Theekshana struck again in the 12th over to end Tom Cooper’s 16(19) scratchy innings that never got off as the batter consumed more deliveries than he scored runs.
Captain Scott Edwards walked onto the crease and played some fantastic shots along with ODowd to keep the Netherlands in the game but was bowled behind his legs by Binura Fernando for 21 off 15 balls.
The Dutch team kept losing wickets to push themselves out of the game with only ODowd providing some resistance.
The batter made a match out of nothing and smashed 15 runs off the 18th over and 16 runs off the 19th over, leaving the Netherlands to get 23 runs from the last over.
ODowd tried his best to win the match for his team but the batter had run out of partners leaving a lot to get from the last over.
The Netherlands fell short by 16 runs to guarantee Sri Lanka a place in the Super-12.
Sri Lanka’s talismanic player Hasaranga was the pick of the bowlers as he managed to get three wickets, dismantling the middle order of the Netherlands.
Earlier, opting to bat first, Kusal Mendis’ onslaught took Sri Lanka to 162/6 after early hiccups against the Netherlands.
A late flourish from Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Dasun Shanaka coupled with Mendis’ brilliant knock saw Sri Lanka post a challenging total against the Dutch team who have underperformed with the bat in the tournament.
Paul van Meekeren was exceptional with the ball for the Dutch team and picked two wickets, giving away just 25 runs from his four overs.
Brief Score: Sri Lanka 162/6 (Kusal Mendis 79, Charith Asalanka 31; Paul van Meekeren 2/25) vs Netherlands 146/9 (Max ODowd 71, Scott Edwards 21; Wanindu Hasaranga 3/28)
