Sri Lanka Ends T20 World Cup on a High Note
Sri Lanka finished their T20 World Cup campaign with a commanding 83-run victory over the Netherlands in St Lucia. Despite this win, it was too late for Sri Lanka to advance to the Super Eights. In another Group D match, Bangladesh’s win over Nepal ended any slim hopes for the Netherlands, who were bowled out for 118 chasing a daunting 202.
Batting Brilliance Leads to Big Total
Sri Lanka’s middle order shone, with Angelo Mathews (30 off 15 balls) and captain Wanindu Hasaranga (20 off 10 balls) accelerating the scoring. The standout performance came from Charith Asalanka, who hit 46 off 21 balls, including five sixes. This helped Sri Lanka reach over 200 runs. Asalanka’s powerful hitting and stable base earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ award. “These are far better conditions than the USA,” Asalanka said, expressing satisfaction with the pitch in St Lucia.
Netherlands Struggles in the Chase
During their chase, the Netherlands started strong, with openers Michael Levitt (31) and Max O’Dowd (11) adding 45 runs in 4.2 overs. However, once Maheesh Theekshana dismissed Levitt, the Netherlands’ batting crumbled. Nuwan Thushara (3/24) and Matheesha Pathirana (2/12) were effective with the ball, reducing the Netherlands from 45 without loss to 118 all out. This marked the end of any hopes for a dramatic win.
Reflections on the Match and Tournament
Sri Lanka’s skipper Hasaranga reflected on the win and the tournament’s earlier disappointments. He noted the importance of maintaining wickets in the first six overs, which made a significant difference in this match. For the Netherlands, skipper Scott Edwards acknowledged their struggles against higher-quality teams and emphasized the need for a big individual performance in such matches. Despite their efforts, the Netherlands fell short in this T20 World Cup, a contrast to their impressive 50-over campaign in India last year.
Read More
