Right then, that is it from this game where Sri Lanka gets their first win of the tournament while Netherlands fails to make it two wins in a row. There is another cracking game going on at the moment between England and South Africa. You can just switch tabs to enjoy all the coverage of that game. Cheers!
Kusal Mendis, the victorious skipper of Sri Lanka says that he is happy with the win. Adds that they did well in all departments. Tells that their bowlers were brilliant in the first 10 overs. Praises Sadeera Samarawickrama for his knock and staying till the end and also credits Pathum Nissanka as well. Says he had three overs left of Kasun Rajitha but decided to save them for the death. Ends by saying there were a lot of positives and he has confidence in his team.
Scott Edwards, the captain of Netherlands says that it was an interesting pitch. Adds that they obviously didn't start well but Logan van Beek and Sybrand Engelbrecht got them to a pretty competitive total. Tells that they gave away too many boundary balls and fielding was also not up to standards. Mentions that their bowlers have been good for them throughout but the top order and bowlers let them down here. Says that they had a feeling that it would turn a bit later on and Dutt turns it a bit more than others. Further adds that their batting hasn't quite clicked yet as there have been too many starts that haven't been converted. Ends by saying he is not bothered by batting first or second and they just need to execute their plans better in the next game and is not stressed about this loss.
Sadeera Samarawickrama is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his match-winning knock. He says that he is happy to finish the game and the team wanted a win. Adds that the wicket was not easy and the ball was spinning. Shares that the plan was to bat deep and stick to basics. Mentions that the ball was turning and gripping and they wanted to take it deep as it was a difficult wicket. Closes by saying that he is happy with the effort and wants to carry on the momentum.
Presentation Time...
Earlier in the game, Netherlands posted a fighting total on the board even after being in a struggling position. They were 91-6 at one point but fifties from Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek gave their bowlers something to play with in this match. Dilshan Madushanka and Kasun Rajitha both were excellent with the ball for Lanka and picked up four wickets each while Maheesh Theekshana chipped in with one as well. While chasing, Sri Lanka suffered a couple of early blows but their middle order took their time and a couple of fine knocks got them over the line with five wickets in hand.
Netherlands, on the other hand, will be wondering if they could have done better as they failed to match their performance against the Proteas. Aryan Dutt provided them with two crucial wickets inside the first Powerplay but they just couldn't build on that and let Lanka make their back in the game. The Dutch knew that a couple of partnerships would take the game away from them and that is exactly what happened here. They were also a bit sloppy in the field and that missed stumping from skipper Scott Edwards when Sadeera Samarawickrama didn't even open his account cost them a lot. Paul van Meekeren and Dutt struck again in the middle overs but they needed a few more in quick succession to test Lanka even more. Netherlands tried everything, from different tactics to matchups but it was just not their day here.
Sri Lanka started a bit cautiously but lost Kusal Perera and skipper Kusal Mendis for low scores. However, Pathum Nissanka held the other end well and kept the scoreboard ticking. He along with Sadeera Samarawickrama steadied the ship with a 52-run partnership but Nissanka lost his concentration right after the first drinks break and departed after reaching his third half-century on the trot. After that, Sadeera took responsibility on himself and found good support from Charith Asalanka as well. Both of them rotated the strike well and managed to score runs at a good rate too which didn't let the game go away from them at any point. They added 77 runs together before Asalanka departed for 44 after playing a poor shot. Dhananjaya de Silva came in and used his experience well and along with Sadeera took them closer to the target with less than a run-ball knock, but he too got out trying to finish things quickly. Sadeera Samarawickrama remained unbeaten on a brilliant 91 and Dushan Hemantha hit the wining runs in the end.
SRI LANKA FINALLY GETS OFF THE MARK IN THIS WORLD CUP! Now, every team participating has a win to their name and that is what the audience wants to see in these big events. This was a decent performance from the Lankans, still not their best one but the important thing here is that they got over the line in the end. This is also the highest successful chase at this ground.
Colin Ackermann to Dushan Hemantha, Four!FOUR! THUMPED! Hematha hits the winning runs! Flatter length delivery around off. Hematha advances and lifts it to wide long-on fence for four runs. Sri Lanka win by five wickets and register their first win of the World Cup.
Colin Ackermann to Dushan Hemantha, No run.Full and just outside off. Hematha drives off the leading edge to point.
Logan van Beek to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Full again on the middle and off. Samarawickrama drives it to mid-on.
Logan van Beek to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Full and outside off, driven to cover-point.
Logan van Beek to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Similar length delivery and Samarawickrama pushes it to mid-on.
Logan van Beek to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Full-length delivery at the stumps, driven to mid-on.
Logan van Beek to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 2 runs.Full and just outside off. Samarawickrama prods and turns it through the square leg region for a couple.
Logan van Beek to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Pitched up full and around off, driven straight to mid-off.
Colin Ackermann to Dushan Hemantha, No run.Length ball outside off, turns in sharply, Hemantha goes back and defends.
Dushan Hemantha walks out to bat now.
Colin Ackermann to Dhananjaya de Silva, OUT! b Colin Ackermann.OUT! BOWLED' EM!! de Silva tries to finish things with a six but perishes in the process. Goes for the glory shot and departs. Ackermann bowls a flighted off-break outside off, de Silva dances down the track but misses it completely and the ball goes on to hit the top of the middle stump.
Colin Ackermann to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Length and at the stumps. de Silva defends.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.Slightly short on the stumps, Samarawickrama shuffles across the stumps and flicks it to long leg for a run.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Flatter delivery outside off, Samarawickrama goes for the cut but misses.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 2 runs.Full and around off, heaved to dee mid-wicket for a couple.
Logan van Beek to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Fuller and on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva blocks it out again.
Logan van Beek to Dhananjaya de Silva, Six!SIX! Dhananjaya de Silva looks in a hurry here! Logan van Beek serves this full and on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva presents the full face of the bat to dispatch it over the bowler's head for a biggie.
Logan van Beek to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.This is on a good length and around leg, Dhananjaya de Silva misses his glance and the ball goes off his pads to the keeper where Scott Edwards dives to his left to collect it.
Logan van Beek to Dhananjaya de Silva, Six!SIX! BANG! Dhananjaya de Silva goes big now! Logan van Beek bangs this short and on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva gets into position quickly and hammers it over the deep square leg fence for a biggie.
Logan van Beek to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Back of a length and on off, Dhananjaya de Silva keeps it out to the off side.
Logan van Beek to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Back of a length and on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva pulls it towards mid-wicket.
Colin Ackermann to Dhananjaya de Silva, 3 runs.Slightly short and turning into the batter. de Silva bunts it to the mid-on region. A misfield allows the batter to take three.
Colin Ackermann to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Flat and just outside off, de Silva turns it to short mid-wicket.
Colin Ackermann to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Short on the middle and leg, tucked to square leg.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.Flat and turning into the batter. Samarawickrama tucks this through mid-wicket for one.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Flat around off. Samarawickrama punches it to the right of the bowler.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 2 runs.Full on off. Samarawickrama glances it to fine leg for a couple.
Logan van Beek to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Pitched up full and around off, driven firmly to mid-off.
Logan van Beek to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Hard-length angled in. de Silva tucks it to short mid-wicket.
Logan van Beek to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.A slower delivery on the shorter side and pulled away towards deep square leg for a run by Samarawickrama.
Logan van Beek to Dhananjaya de Silva, 1 run.Hard-length on off, de Silva punches it to wide mid-on for one.
Logan van Beek to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Back of a length at the stumps. de Silva tucks it to short mid-wicket.
Logan van Beek to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.Short and angling into the batter. Samarawickrama pulls it to deep square leg for one.
Colin Ackermann to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Sharp turn off the length and de Silva drops it awkwardly into the off-side.
Colin Ackermann to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Full on off, bunted back at the bowler.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.Flat and just outside off, Samarawickrama punches it through point for one.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, Four!FOUR! Full and just outside off. Samarawickrama gets low and slogs it to the deep square leg region. A misfield in the deep parries it over the ropes.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Full and around off. Samarawickrama turns it to square leg.
Colin Ackermann to Dhananjaya de Silva, 1 run.Full at the stumps, knocks it to long-on for one.
Logan van Beek to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Back of a length again outside off. Samarawickrama flays and misses.
Logan van Beek to Dhananjaya de Silva, 1 run.Back of a length outside off, punched past point for one.
Logan van Beek to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Back of a length around off. de Silva taps into the cover point region.
Logan van Beek to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Back of a length angled in. de Silva turns it to short mid-wicket.
Logan van Beek to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Length delivery on off. de Silva dabs it to backward point.
Logan van Beek to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.Full and on the middle and leg. Samarawickrama flicks it to deep square leg for one.
Colin Ackermann to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Fired in at the stumps. de Silva turns it to short mid-wicket.
Colin Ackermann to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Flat on the middle and leg. de Silva bunts it to the right of the bowler.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.Flat and just outside off. Samarawickrama steers it through point for one.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Fuller this time on off, pushed back to Ackermann.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Flat and turning into the batter. Samarawickrama goes back and bunts it toward the bowler.
Colin Ackermann to Dhananjaya de Silva, 1 run.Full on off. de Silva eases it to long-on for one.
Powerplay 3! Now, five fielders are allowed outside the circle till the last over but Netherlands may look to close in the field to stop the singles and pile up some dot balls.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Another short delivery around off, Sadeera Samarawickrama stabs it toward backward point.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 2 runs.Darts this one full and outside off, Sadeera Samarawickrama drills it towards point where Teja Nidamanuru lets it through this time and the batters take two runs. Roelof van der Merwe grunts in disappointment.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Flighted, full and on middle, Sadeera Samarawickrama turns it to the leg side.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Slower through the air, short and on off, turns away, Sadeera Samarawickrama steers it towards short third man.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Good stop! This is short again and outside off, Sadeera Samarawickrama cuts it wide of point where Teja Nidamanuru dives to his left to make a fine stop.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, Wide!Quicker, short and down the leg side, Sadeera Samarawickrama moves back to pull but misses as Scott Edwards collects and breaks the stumps. It is called a wide.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Flatter, full and on middle, angling in, Sadeera Samarawickrama knocks it back to the bowler.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.Looped up, full and on leg, Sadeera Samarawickrama works it towards fine leg for one.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Flighted, full and on middle, Sadeera Samarawickrama flicks it wide of square leg where the fielder dives to his left to stop it.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, Four!FOUR! Fine shot! Colin Ackermann bowls this quicker, short and outside off, Sadeera Samarawickrama moves back and uses the pace to cut it away nicely towards the vacant deep point femce for a boundary.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Fires in a yorker now, on middle, Sadeera Samarawickrama digs it out down the pitch.
Colin Ackermann to Dhananjaya de Silva, 1 run.Short and on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva moves back and punches it towards long on for a run.
Colin Ackermann to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.Tossed up, full and on off, Sadeera Samarawickrama works it through square leg for a single.
Roelof van der Merwe to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Slower through the air, on off, Dhananjaya de Silva is solid in his defence again. Only one run of the over!
Roelof van der Merwe to Dhananjaya de Silva, No run.Pushed through quicker, short and on off, angling in, Dhananjaya de Silva bunts it out towards point.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.Flatter, full and on leg, Sadeera Samarawickrama clips it towards short fine leg for a run.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Flighted, full and on off, turns away again, Sadeera Samarawickrama looks to work it away but gets a leading edge along the ground towards point.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Floated, full and on off, turns away, Sadeera Samarawickrama keeps it out to the off side well.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Tossed up, full and on middle, Sadeera Samarawickrama defends it on the front foot.
Paul van Meekeren to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.A slower one, back of a length and outside off, Sadeera Samarawickrama cuts it towards sweeper covers for one.
Paul van Meekeren to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Pitched up, on off, Sadeera Samarawickrama drives it straight to mid off.
Paul van Meekeren to Sadeera Samarawickrama, Four!FOUR! Fine shot! Paul van Meekeren bangs this into the pitch, on middle, sits up nicely for the batter, Sadeera Samarawickrama pounces on it and hammers it in front of square on the leg side for a boundary.
Paul van Meekeren to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.BEATEN! Paul van Meekeren lands this on a good length and around off, angling in, Sadeera Samarawickrama looks to punch it away but gets beaten on the outside edge.
Paul van Meekeren to Sadeera Samarawickrama, Wide!Paul van Meekeren loses his line and serves a low full toss down the leg side, Sadeera Samarawickrama misses his glance. Wided.
Paul van Meekeren to Dhananjaya de Silva, 1 run.Short of a length and on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva pulls it towards deep square leg for a single.
Paul van Meekeren to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 3 runs.Fuller one and on off, Sadeera Samarawickrama drives it firmly through extra covers and Aryan Dutt from mid off chases after it and slides forward to keep it inside. Three runs taken.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.A low full toss, on middle, Sadeera Samarawickrama drills it towards long off for one.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Quicker, short once more, on off, Sadeera Samarawickrama dabs it towards point.
Roelof van der Merwe to Dhananjaya de Silva, 1 run.Short again and outside off, Sadeera Samarawickrama cuts it towards point where a fumble allows the run.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.Short and on middle, Sadeera Samarawickrama moves back and flicks it through square leg for another run.
Roelof van der Merwe to Dhananjaya de Silva, 1 run.Floated, full and on off, Dhananjaya de Silva pushes it through covers for a run.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.Tossed up, full and on off, Sadeera Samarawickrama taps it towards covers for a single.
Paul van Meekeren to Sadeera Samarawickrama, Bye.A slower bouncer this time, on off, Sadeera Samarawickrama goes through his pull early and misses and Scott Edwards fails to collect it cleanly. A bye is taken.
Paul van Meekeren to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 4 Byes.FOUR BYES! Paul van Meekeren bangs in a bouncer now, on middle, takes off of the surface, Sadeera Samarawickrama winds up for the pull but it is too high for that and Scott Edwards leaps up but only manages to get some glove on it as the ball still races to the fence for a boundary.
Paul van Meekeren to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.A slower one now, back of a length, on off, Sadeera Samarawickrama bunts it down as the ball rolls to the right of the keeper.
Paul van Meekeren to Sadeera Samarawickrama, No run.Pitched up, on off, Sadeera Samarawickrama pushes it straight to short covers.
Paul van Meekeren to Dhananjaya de Silva, 1 run.On a length and on middle, Dhananjaya de Silva flicks it through backward square leg for a run.
Paul van Meekeren to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.Fuller one and on off, Sadeera Samarawickrama drives it through covers for a single.
Roelof van der Merwe to Sadeera Samarawickrama, 1 run.Looped up, full and on middle, Sadeera Samarawickrama clips it through square leg for one more.