NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka's spin duo of Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga weaved their magic to secure a hard-fought 21-run victory over the Netherlands in the opening Super Six game of the World Cup qualifying tournament on Friday.
The win ensured that Sri Lanka remained tied at the top of the standings alongside hosts Zimbabwe, keeping their hopes alive for one of the two coveted spots in the upcoming World Cup in India.
Following the match, Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka acknowledged the significance of their upcoming clash against Zimbabwe, stating, "Zimbabwe is a big, big match for us." With the team riding high on the back of their recent triumph, Shanaka expressed his satisfaction with the hard-fought victory.
Having won the toss and opting to bat first, Shanaka's decision initially appeared to be ill-fated as Sri Lanka struggled to put up a competitive total, eventually being bowled out for 213 runs in 47.4 overs. The Dutch, known for causing upsets, had Sri Lanka on the ropes at 67/5 and then 96/6.
However, all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva stepped up to the challenge and played a crucial role in guiding Sri Lanka to a respectable total. De Silva's resilient innings of 93 runs off 111 balls, comprising eight fours and two sixes, was instrumental in his team's recovery. He found support from Wanindu Hasaranga (20) and Maheesh Theekshana (28) to ensure Sri Lanka had a defendable total.
Reflecting on his innings, de Silva commented on his approach, saying, "My idea was to bat through the overs. I was basically just playing straight. I like to spend time in the middle. This was the opportunity for me to do it. I think I did a good job."
Among the Dutch bowlers, medium pacer Logan van Beek impressed with figures of 3 wickets for just 26 runs in nine economical overs. Bas de Leede also made a significant contribution, taking three wickets, including that of de Silva, conceding 42 runs in the process.
In response, the Netherlands got off to a disastrous start, losing opener Vikramjit Singh for a duck to the second ball of the innings, followed by Max O'Dowd departing for a duck just five balls later. Wesley Barresi (52) and Bas de Leede (41) staged a revival, but the Sri Lankan spinners soon turned the tide.
Theekshana, a mystery spinner, was the tormentor-in-chief as he dismantled the Dutch middle order, claiming three crucial wickets. His lethal bowling accounted for Saqib Zulfiqar, Logan van Beek, and eventually bowled de Leede, leaving the Netherlands struggling to find their footing.
Despite skipper Scott Edwards' valiant efforts to lead his team to victory, his partners fell one after another. Hasaranga deceived Ryan Klein with a googly that crashed through the gate to dismiss him for 5 runs. With an agonising last-wicket stand of 16, Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka delivered the final blow by bowling Aryan Dutt for seven runs, leaving Edwards stranded on an unbeaten 67, which included four fours and two sixes.
Disappointed with the outcome, Netherlands captain Scott Edwards praised his team's bowling effort, saying, "We bowled really well. A bit disappointing with the bat. We felt we should have got across the line."
(With inputs from AFP)
