The Islanders secure a five-wicket win while chasing a target of 263 runs

By Web DeskOctober 21, 2023

Sri Lanka´s Sadeera Samarawickrama (second right) shakes hands with Netherlands´ Aryan Dutt (first right) at the end of the 2023 ICC Men´s Cricket World Cup between the Netherlands and Sri Lanka at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on October 21, 2023. — AFP

Sri Lanka´s Sadeera Samarawickrama (second right) shakes hands with Netherlands´ Aryan Dutt (first right) at the end of the 2023 ICC Men´s Cricket World Cup between the Netherlands and Sri Lanka at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on October 21, 2023. — AFP

Sri Lanka beat the Netherlands to bag first win in their World Cup 2023 campaign on Saturday.

The Islanders successfully chased down the 263-run target in the 49th over at the loss of five wickets.

Sri Lanka are currently ranked ninth in the points table with two points as they have lost three of the four games they have played in the tournament so far.

Sadeera Samarawickrama top-scored with 91 runs in 107 balls with the help of seven fours. Meanwhile, Pathum Nissanka notched up 54 runs in 52 balls whereas Charith Asalanka contributed 44 runs.

After losing two wickets for 52 runs, Nissanka and Samarawickrama added 52 runs in 40 balls for the third wicket. After Nissanka’s departure, Samarawickrama accumulated 77 runs in 99 balls along with Asalanka to keep Sri Lanka on track during the run-chase.

Earlier, Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek hit maiden one-day international fifties as the Netherlands recovered from a poor start to post 262 against Sri Lanka.

The 35-year-old Engelbrecht reached his milestone off 65 balls with three fours and one six as the Dutch returned to action for the first time since their shock win against South Africa.

Van Beek went to his fifty from 68 balls with just a single boundary.

South African-born Engelbrecht and New Zealand native Van Beek helped the Dutch recover from 91-6, putting on a seventh-wicket partnership of 130.

It was ended when left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka clean-bowled Englebrecht for 70 with a score of 221.

Van Beek was eventually dismissed for 59 when he became recalled fast bowler Kasun Rajitha´s fourth victim.

Madushanka finished with figures of 4-49 while Rajitha had 4-50.

Worryingly for the Sri Lankans, they coughed up 33 extras, 26 of which were wide.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, the Netherlands saw Rajitha send back Vikramjit Singh (four), Max O´Dowd (16) and Colin Ackermann (29) as they slipped to 54-3.

Madushanka picked up the wickets of Bas de Leede and Teja Nidamanuru before spinner Maheesh Theekshana grabbed the key wicket of skipper Colin Edwards (16).

The Dutch went 20 overs without hitting a boundary before Engelbrecht and Van Beek launched their rescue act.

After losing two wickets for 52 runs, Nissanka and Samarawickrama added 52 runs in 40 balls for the third wicket. After Nissanka’s departure, Samarawickrama accumulated 77 runs in 99 balls along with Asalanka to keep Sri Lanka on track during the run-chase.