ICC T20 WC 2021 - Round 1 - SL annihilate Netherlands by 8 wickets after shooting them out for 44

Kumara, Hasaranga, Theekshana shared eight wickets, as Netherlands bundled out for mere 44 runs.

Netherlands 44 all-out in 10 overs (Colin Ackermann 11; Lahiru Kumara 3/7, Wanindu Hasaranga 3/9) lose to Sri Lanka 45/2 in 7.1 overs (Kusal Perera 33*; Brandon Glover 1/12) by 8 wickets.

Sri Lanka bowled Netherlands out for second-lowest total in T20 World Cups. (©AFP/GettyImages)

The Netherlands and Sri Lanka went loggerheads in the 12th and last game of Round 1 of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 on Friday.

Sri Lanka qualified for the Super 12 of the tournament in the last outing and hence got a chance to experiment with their playing XI. While having lost both its matches, the Netherlands played to save its pride but instead stooped to its worst performance out of all the games in the current edition.

Playing at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka won the toss and decided to bowl first. Considering that three of their next four matches are scheduled at this venue, it was a good toss to win for the Lankan skipper. They made one change in the squad - Charith Asalanka in place of Dinesh Chandimal.

Netherlands bundled out for 44 in 10 overs

Luck may have gone for a toss for Netherlands as losing the toss was the first setback for their skipper Pieter Seelar. They also lost their first wicket in a similar “out-of-luck” manner with the Sri Lanka skipper inflicting a brilliant run-out of Max O’Dowd (2) at the non-striker’s end.

Within a gap of just one over, Sri Lanka’s man with a golden arm, Maheesh Theekshana bowled Ben Cooper (9) with a cheeky carrom ball. Theekshana followed this up with yet another carrom ball, this time removing the other opener Stephan Myburg (5) in the third over.

Having already lost three wickets in just three overs, Netherlands needed some partnership building but their luck seemed to have a grudge for eternity. None of their batters except all-rounder Colin Ackermann (11) even touched double figures.

Wanindu Hasaranga and Theekshana weaved Netherlands at will

Last two game’s player of the match award winners Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana have been the go-to men for their side. The duo took down five wickets between themselves with Hasaranga chipping the most (3/9), and Theekshana (2/3), although he just bowled one over.

Three of Hasaranga’s wickets also included the Netherlands’ skipper Pieter Seelar who got out LBW, also marking an end to all hopes of an innings revival.

Other Sri Lanka bowlers Lahiru Kumara (3/7) and Chameera (1/13) also had their share of a brilliant outing as they bundled out Netherlands on 44 runs in just 10 overs. Pretty evidently, Netherlands’ batters kept playing down the wrong line. Although Sri Lanka bowlers stole the show with their performance in the first innings.

Read More: ICC T20 WC 2021 - Round 1 - Wanindu Hasaranga blasts Ireland with 71, 1/12; SL win, reach Super 12

Sri Lanka batters wrap it up with ease

Chasing the low total set by Netherlands, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera came into the middle. But Sri Lanka lost their first wicket in the 2nd over of the innings when Brandon Glover trapped Nissanka for a duck in his first over.

Sri Lanka lost yet another wicket of Charith Asalanka (6), this time off Paul Van Meerkeren’s delivery in the 6th over. However, Kusal Perera looked unabated and got regular boundaries and singles and took the side home to register a win by 8 wickets.

Perera scored an unbeaten 33* and it was a big takeaway from the game for the Lankan Lions considering the player’s poor form in the shortest format of late.

Player of the match

Lahiru Kumara lifted the player of the match award as he picked three wickets for 7 runs. He inflicted all three damages in just one over, thereby putting an end to Netherlands’ innings on a low score.

Sri Lanka will now face Bangladesh in their first clash of the Super 12 of the ICC T20 World Cup tournament at Sharjah Cricket Ground on October 24. The match begins at 15:30 hours IST.

Final Groups: Group 1 and Group 2

This is how the groups now look like:

Group 1: Australia, England, South Africa, West Indies, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Group 2: Afghanistan, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland and Namibia.

Australia will play South Africa in the first match of Super 12 at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on October 23. The match begins at 15:30 hours IST.

Read More: ICC T20 WC 2021 - Round 1 - Namibia register 1st win in World Cup; defeat Netherlands by 6 wickets