Ashuti
- Oct 21, 2023
- 4 min read

CWC 2023, SL vs NED: Sri Lanka open account on the back of Samarawickrama's 91*, pacers' returns

CWC 2023, Sri Lanka vs Netherlands: Sybrand Engelbrecht-Logan van Beek's 130-run stand, Kasun Rajitha's 4-50 and Sadeera Samarawickrama's 91 are top performances. Sri Lanka beat Netherlands and open their win account in World Cup 2023.

CWC 2023, Sri Lank vs Netherlands: Sadeera Samarawickrama's 91 helps Sri Lanka chase 263 against Netherlands | Walking Wicket (Photo_ ©officialslc_Twitter) — Samarawickrama's 91 helps Sri Lanka chase 263 (Photo: ©officialslc/Twitter)

Brief Score - Sri Lanka - 263/5 (S. Samarawickrama 91*Nissanka - 54, Aryan Dutt - 3/44) beat Netherlands - 262 (S. Engelbrecht 70, L. van Beek 59, D. Madushanka 4/49) by 5 wickets.

Player of the match - Sadeera Samarawickrama (91 off 107)

The Netherlands faced Sri Lanka at Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, in match 19 of CWC 2023. The Dutch side showed a brilliant all-round performance and produced the tournament’s second upset by defeating South Africa in their previous game.

The Netherlands came into this game after a historic win and two previous defeats, whereas Sri Lanka lost all 3 matches they played. Sri Lanka and the Netherlands have played 5 ODIs so far, with the Dutch failing to beat SL even once.

SL faced concern regarding their bowling performance in the previous matches as they have struggled to build a collective effort. Despite solid performance with the bat, Sri Lanka’s bowling has faltered due to the absence of several injured players.

Talking Point from Netherlands vs Sri Lanka, Lucknow, CWC 2023

Rajitha’s addition helped Sri Lanka get early wickets

Sri Lanka finally opened their account with a strong win against the Netherlands. The bowlers shone in the first innings, with credit to both Madushanka & Rajith’s 4-wickets haul, respectively. Rajitha’s inclusion in the team gave Sri Lanka an advantage as he gave early breakthroughs. He replaced Lahiru Kumara and took the opportunity with both hands bowling his best figures in ODIs.

Moreover, besides his performance, Sri Lanka got a few more positives from this game as they moved ahead. The bowling performance must have relieved the management, as their bowling was a serious concern from the last few games. The batters, too, contributed well, with Nissanka & Samarawickrama both getting their half-centuries. Sadeera stood till the end, ensuring the team got their first win of the ICC CWC 2023.

Engelbrecht & van Beek’s fifties lifted the Netherlands to a decent total

The Netherlands won the toss and opted to bat first. Sri Lanka bowlers started well, and their pacers were getting a good swing. Despite this, the Netherlands batters faced the SL bowlers strongly for the first 10 overs. Soon, the Dutch lost with their half side, including their skipper Edwards.

Later, Sybrand Engelbrecht & Logan van Beek slowly but steadily established the Netherlands after a dramatic collapse. They took control when the team was at 91/6 and gave some stability to the team with their record 130-run partnership. Their partnership was eventually broken when Madushanka bowled Engelbrecht for 70. Soon, Rajitha dismissed the other set batter. van Beek, completing his 4 wickets alongside Madushanka. It was a bit late, but Sri Lanka made a little comeback at the death as they stopped the Netherlands on 262.

The Netherlands started well with early wickets. Thereafter, Sri Lanka batters took complete control of the match with their solid performance. They showed some stability, with Pathum Nissanka continuing his sublime form as he slammed his third successive fifty in the ongoing WC. Asalanka, too, played a helping knock of 44. On the other hand, Samarawickrama batted sensibly and notched up a well-deserved half-century. He kept Lanka's chase on the track, taking Sri Lanka to their first win of the CWC 2023.

Top three performances from the Netherlands vs Sri Lanka game in CWC 2023

Rajitha bowled his best ODI figures

Sri Lanka pacer Kasun Rajitha starred for the Lankans with the ball, claiming his best ODI figures of 4/50. He used the Lucknow track well and breathed fire with the new ball as he got the Netherlands’ first three wickets. Though he struggled in middle overs, he made a good comeback at the end of the inning, completing his second 4 wicket haul in the ODI. Interestingly, Madushanka also claimed his career-best figure alongside Rajitha.

CWC 2023, Sri Lank vs Netherlands_ Sybrand Engelbrecht- Logan van Beek added 130-run for 7th wicket for Netherlands _ Walking Wicket (Photo_ ©crickcrazyjohns_Twitter) — Engelbrecht-Beek added 130-run for 7th wicket (Photo: ©crickcrazyjohns/Twitter)

Engelbrecht & van Beek recorded a 130-run stand

Sybrand Engelbrecht & Logan van Beek led a remarkable recovery with their maiden fifties to help the Netherlands post a fighting total of 262 against SL. After losing six wickets for just 91 runs, their record 130-run partnership guided the team and took them out of a difficult situation. They broke the record for the highest seventh-wicket partnership in ODI WC. They went past the 116-run partnership made by Dhoni & Jadeja in the 2019 WC.

Sadeera Samarawickrama's brilliant 91-run inning took SL to their first victory

Sadeera Samarawickrama played another impressive knock of 91 runs against the Dutch.

He played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s first victory in this edition of the WC. He kept the momentum going after Nissanka’s dismissal. He was the star batter for the team as he held the innings together, batting at four. He played perfect cricketing shots, leading the side to a record 5-wicket victory.

Statistical Highlights from Netherlands vs Sri Lanka, Lucknow CWC 2023

The Netherlands scored their second-highest power play score of 48/2 in the ODI World Cup.
The seventh wicket partnership of 130 between Sybrand Engelbrecht & Logan van Beek is the highest for this wicket in ODI CWC history.
It is also the second highest for any wicket for the Netherlands in an ODI WC.
Engelbrecht scored the second-highest individual score (70 runs) for the Netherlands at No. 7 in an ODI World Cup.
Logan van Beek became the first batter to score a fifty (59 runs) at No. 8 for the Netherlands in an ODI WC.
Dilshan Madushanka 4/49 got his best bowling figures in ODIs.
Kasun Rajitha, 4/50, got his best bowling figures in ODIs.

Points Table Scenario & What's Next

Sri Lanka’s first tournament win leads them to the 9th spot on the points table with two points, whereas the Netherlands are at the 8th position. Host India will take on New Zealand in the next match of CWC 2023 on October 21 at HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala.