MATCH REPORT
Follow UsSri Lanka make light work as they decimate the Netherlands by eight wickets and 77 balls to spare after bowling them out for just 44. It was a terrific effort by the Sri Lankan bowlers, led by Lahiru Kumara and Wanindu Hasaranga, who had the Dutch on the back foot right from the beginning.
The Netherlands’ campaign at the T20 World Cup 2021 went from bad to worse after they lost as many as six wickets in the powerplay after being put into bat by Sri Lanka. This was the second instance a team has lost six wickets inside the first six overs of a T20 World Cup after Afghanistan, who suffered a similar fate against South Africa in 2010 in Barbados.
Following his fifties in the first two matches, Max O’Dowd was run-out for just two in the first over and what followed after that was nothing short of carnage. Maheesh Theekshana and Hasaranga sprung a web around the Dutch batsmen to have them reduced to 32 for 5 in no time. Dushmantha Chameera further added to their woes, removing Roelof van der Merwe for a duck.
At 37 for 6 inside the powerplay, Sri Lanka went for the kill. The Netherlands had no clue against Sri Lanka’s spin twins and there was nothing to write home about the performances against the two quicks either.
In the end, Kumara and Hasaranga finished with three wickets apiece, giving away just 16 runs in the six overs between them as the Netherlands were bundled out for just 44 in 10 overs – the second-lowest score in a T20 World Cup. They also have the lowest score in the tournament – 39 – which also came against Sri Lanka in the 2014 edition in Bangladesh.
Only Colin Ackermann registered double figures for the Netherlands, with the entire team managing just five fours and a six. Also, only three other T20I innings has seen teams facing lesser than 60 deliveries - records that the Dutch will certainly not be proud of.
In pursuit of 45, Sri Lanka lost Pathum Nissanka for a duck mistiming one as he looked to clear the in-field. The Dutch also managed to get rid of Charith Asalanka cheaply, but Kusal Perera scored a string of boundaries to get the target down to single digits at the end of the powerplay.
Sri Lanka comfortably finish top of their group having won all their three games. Netherlands, who won the T20 World Cup Qualifiers in 2019, find themselves at the opposite end of the table, having lost all their three games in the competition.
Having finished top of their group, Sri Lanka will be in the same group as Australia, South Africa, West Indies, Bangladesh and England in the Super 12s.
Brief scores:
Netherlands 44 in 10 overs (Colin Ackermann 11, Ben Cooper 9; Lahiru Kumara 3 for 7) lost to Sri Lanka 45 for 2 in 7.1 overs (Kusal Perera 33*, Charith Asalanka 6; Brandon Glover 1 for 12)
Player of the match: Lahiru Kumara