ODI World Cup Qualifier: Bowlers help Sri Lanka beat Netherlands by 128 runs; win title

Harare: Left-arm pacer Dilshan Madushanka, along with the spin duo of Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga rose to the occasion with fantastic spells as Sri Lanka beat the Netherlands by 128 runs to win ODI World Cup Qualifier final at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday.

At the halfway stage of the finale clash, it felt that Sri Lanka, the 1996 World Cup winners, were some runs short after being bowled out for 233 in 47.5 overs, with Sahan Arachchige’s 57 being the standout.

In reply, Madushanka rocked the Netherlands chase with 3-18, before Theekshana and Hasaranga took 4-31 and 2-34 respectively to bowl the Dutch out for 105 in 23.3 overs to end the tournament as winners in an unbeaten run in Zimbabwe.

Pushed into batting first, openers Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama had a 39-run opening partnership before the latter was caught brilliantly by short extra cover off Vikramjit Singh. His part-time pace did the trick again when Nissanka flicked one straight to fine-leg, with Aryan Dutt taking a fantastic catch.

Arachchige and Kusal Mendis began the rebuilding job for Sri Lanka, through their 72-run partnership. But it was broken by Saqib Zulfiqar as he trapped Mendis lbw after missing a sweep. Arachchige then shared a vital stand of 64 runs with Charith Asalanka before Zulfiqar struck again to dismiss him for a well-made 57.

In the same over, Asalanka lost his wicket to a close run-out for 36, followed by Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka being dismissed by Logan van Beek for just a solitary run. Dhananjaya de Silva then fell to Ryan Klein as the Netherlands fetched them four wickets in four overs, leaving Sri Lanka in tatters.

Hasaranga chipped in with a vital 29 runs, while Theekshana (13) and Matheesha Pathirana were the other batters to be dismissed in quick succession as Sri Lanka were bowled out for 233 in 47.5 overs, with van Beek, Klein, Vikramjit and Zulfiqar taking two wickets each while Dutt had a scalp against his name.

In reply, Madushanka took out Vikramjit and dismissed Wesley Barresi for a duck, with his middle stump going for a cartwheel ride. Hasaranga, the leading wicket-taker of the tournament, got in on the act by trapping Teja Nidamanuru lbw for a duck before Madushanka would trap Noah Croes.

The Netherlands would lose their fifth inside the first 10 overs as skipper Scott Edwards was run out for 1, followed by Zulfiqar falling to Hasaranga. Max O’Dowd’s scratchy knock of 33 finally came to an end as Theekshana castled him.

Off-spinner Theekshana went on to trap Klein and Dutt lbw, before clean bowling Clayton Floyd, as Netherlands were bowled out for 105 and Sri Lanka signed off as winners of the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup Qualifier.

Brief scores:

Sri Lanka 233 in 47.5 overs (Sahan Arachchige 57, Kusal Mendis 43; Vikramjit Singh 2-12, Logan van Beek 2-40) beat Netherlands 105 in 23.3 overs (Max O’Dowd 33, Logan van Beek 20 not out; Maheesh Theekshana 4-31, Dilshan Madushanka 3-18) by 128 runs

–IANS