Rex Clementine
in Geelong
Sri Lanka recovered from an upset tournament-opening loss to qualify for the second round of the ICC T-20 World Cup with a 16-run win over Netherlands yesterday in their last game of the preliminary stage. The former champions were under pressure after the lopsided loss to Namibia last Sunday, but rallied with back-to-back wins over United Arab Emirates and Netherlands to ensure a spot in the Super 12s. The top two teams in each of the first-round groups will join the top eight teams in the next phase. Sri Lanka and Netherlands had two wins apiece in Group A but the Sri Lankans finished with a far superior net run rate. That left the Dutch team needing UAE to beat Namibia to have any chance of advancing. The UAE won the toss in that game, opted to bat first and posted 148 for three.
Sri Lanka won the toss and batted in the first game and posted a competitive 162 for six on a two paced wicket before restricting Netherlands to 146 for nine. Netherlands was on top of the group after opening with narrow wins over Namibia and UAE but wasn’t able to challenge Sri Lanka. The Dutch started off the game well, keeping the Sri Lankan batsmen quiet.
Paceman Paul van Meekeren was the pick of the bowlers, dismissing Pathum Nissanka and Dhananjaya de Silva in successive deliveries, but the Dutch attack faded and conceded 102 runs in the last 10 overs. Kusal Mendis equaled his career best T20 international score of 79 and almost carried his bat through. He faced 44 deliveries and hit five fours and five sixes before being dismissed in the last over. By then, he had done the damage. Netherlands was never really in the run chase, with spinners Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga sharing five wickets between them.
Opener Max O’Dowd batted through the inning but played a mostly lone hand and finished with an unbeaten 71 off 53 deliveries, including six fours and three sixes. Despite qualifying for the second round, Sri Lanka have major injury concerns with three players already ruled out of the tournament. Opening batter Pathum Nissanka didn’t come onto the field as he had been taken for a precautionary scan. He’s nursing a groin injury. Pramod Madushan, who played the game against UAE, is recovering from a hamstring injury but is expected to be fit for the second round.