HARARE: Sri Lanka emerged triumphant in the clash between two World Cup qualifiers as they defeated the Netherlands by 128 runs in the final of the tournament held in Harare on Sunday.
After winning the toss, Dutch captain Scott Edwards opted to field first and his decision seemed justified when the Sri Lankan team was bowled out for just 233 in 48 overs. However, the Dutch struggled to keep up with the required run rate from the start and were eventually bundled out for a mere 105 runs in just over 23 overs, with man of the match Dilshan Madushanka claiming three crucial wickets.
Sri Lanka coach Chris Silverwood expressed his delight at achieving all the set targets for his team. The 48-year-old Englishman mentioned that the confidence gained from the tournament would be beneficial for their performance in the upcoming quadrennial World Cup, scheduled to commence in India on October 5. “Our initial goal was to qualify for the ICC World Cup, and we qualified. The second goal was winning the tournament, and fortunately, we have achieved that as well. We can go home happy,” Silverwood said.
Netherlands Qualify for World Cup
“The confidence that our players have shown in this tournament, we can take it into the ICC World Cup 2023.” Dutch skipper Edwards attributed the huge defeat to their struggles against the Sri Lankan spin bowlers. However, he expressed immense pride in what the team had accomplished overall, emphasizing the significance of playing in a ten-team World Cup. “It is obviously massive achievement for our players and our supporters back home. The opportunity to play in a ten-team World Cup is massive for us,” Edwards said. “We will lap it up and hopefully put in a few good performances there (in India).”
The Dutch team had a promising start when they were in the field, with Bas de Leede, who played a crucial role in their victory over Scotland securing their World Cup spot, missing the final due to his commitments with English county club Durham.
Although Sri Lanka lost both their openers, including the in-form Pathum Nissanka, early in the innings, a steady knock of 57 by Sahan Arahchige supported by contributions from wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis (43) and Charith Asalanka (36) helped them post a competitive total. Madushanka’s brilliant spell caused havoc in the Dutch batting lineup, leaving opener Max O’Dowd to witness the fall of his partners at regular intervals. O’Dowd fought valiantly, scoring 33 runs off 63 balls before being clean bowled by Maheesh Theekshana, who finished with impressive figures of 4-31, dismissing the tail.
