Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India]: Crucial half-centuries from Logan van Beek and Sybrand Engelbrecht propelled Netherlands to 262 after early hiccups against Sri Lanka in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Saturday.
Engelbrecht scored an outstanding 70 while van Beek played a crucial innings of 59 runs to help Netherlands post a fighting total. For Sri Lanka, Dilshan Madushanka and Kasun Rajitha were the destructors in chief as the duo bagged four-wicket hauls respectively to bundle out the Netherlands for 262.
Engelbrecht and van Beek added 130 runs for the seventh wicket, setting a Cricket World Cup record. Their contribution helped the Dutch overcome a difficult stretch and pass the 200-run milestone.
Put to field first, Sri Lanka pacer Kasun Rajitha picked up two wickets in the Powerplay, removing both Netherland openers.
Sri Lanka first struck when Rajitha trapped Netherlands opener Vikramjit Singh (4) in front of his stumps, then followed up by knocking down Max O’Dowd’s (16) castle at the end of the Powerplay.
The Netherlands were immediately on the back foot after losing the vital wicket of Colin Ackermann (29) when the in-form No.3 nicked a wide ball to Kusal Mendis behind the stumps off Rajitha’s bowling with the total on 54.
Rajitha took three early wickets, while pace partner Dilshan Madushanka subsequently guaranteed Sri Lanka’s victory with two of his own.
The spinners of Sri Lanka then took control of the middle overs, with Maheesh Theekshana taking the crucial wicket of Netherlands skipper Scott Edwards (16).
Middle-order batters Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek put together a crucial partnership to steer the Netherlands past 170 without further loss.
The duo put up a 135-run partnership for the 7th wicket. Dilshan Madushanka provided his team with a major breakthrough as he removed Engelbrecht for 70.
Roelof van der Merwe then came out to bat. In the 49th over of the game, Rajitha went on to dismiss Logan van Beek for 59. In the last two overs, Sri Lanka took back the control they bundled out Netherlands for 262 runs.
Brief score: Netherlands 262 (Sybrand Engelbrecht 70, Logan van Beek 59; Dilshan Madushanka 4-49) vs Sri Lanka.
