T20 World Cup 2024 SL vs NED: Sri Lanka who lost their Super 8 race after registering a couple of defeats in their first three games of the group stage managed to pull a historic victory in their final match of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Sri Lanka’s all-rounding performance handed them a victory to remember in this edition of the tournament. Sri Lanka was scheduled to face the Netherlands to play their final match of the 2024 T20WC at St Lucia on June 16.
While Sri Lanka was eliminated from the Super 8 race, the Netherlands had some chances for the qualification but the BAN vs NEP match result altered the chances and knocked Netherlands out of the tournament.
This 83 runs difference defeat not only handed them the hattrick defeat but also became the Netherlands’ biggest defeat in terms of runs in this T20 World Cup edition.
Netherlands’ batting collapse is the main reason for their defeat particularly their middle and lower order batters failed to reach a double-digit mark apart from Aryan Dutt who scored 10 runs.
Still, their 172 runs victory against Kenya in 2007 remains the biggest run difference victory for Sri Lanka.
Biggest win for Sri Lanka in T20 World Cups (by runs)
- 172 vs Kenya Johannesburg 2007
- 83 vs NED Gros Islet 2024
- 82 vs ZIM Hambantota 2012
- 79 vs USA Geelong 2022
- 70 vs IRE Abu Dhabi 2021
Speaking of the match, Netherlands won the toss and opted to bowl first where Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis opened the inning on behalf of Sri Lanka. Kingma who bowled the first over made an early breakthrough by dismissing Pathum Nissanka for a duck.
Following his wicket Kamindu Mendis started to build a decent partnership with Kusal Mendis. but the duo managed to build only 39 for the second wicket. van Meekeren broke the partnership by dismissing Kamindu Mendis for 17 runs.
After losing a couple of wickets in the first powerplay, Sri Lanka changed their gear and started to strike massive shorts in loose deliveries and also kept the partnership intact.
Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis added 45 runs for the next wicket. Aryan Dutt broke the threatening partnership in the 12th over by dismissing Kusal for 46 runs.
Soon after his wicket, Dhananjaya too lost his wicket for 34 runs in the 15th over. Asalanka and Mathews with their quick fire 46(21) and 30(15) move Sri Lanka to a safer zone.
With the captain’s handy knock of 20 from six, Sri Lanka scored 201 runs for 6 wickets loss at the end of 20 overs.
With a mammoth target to chase down, the Netherlands had an aggressive inning by scoring 44 runs in four overs. N Thushara made a stop to the aggressive inning by dismissing Max ODowd for 11 runs in the fifth over.
Following his dismissal, Netherland batters struggled to face the aggressive Sri Lanka bowling line-up and lost their wickets in regular intervals. Nuwan Thushara bagged three wickets while Wanindu Hasaranga and Matheesha Pathirana each bagged two wickets.
Maheesh Theekshana and Dasun Shanaka for their part bagged a wicket each and bundled up the Netherlands for 118 runs in 16.4 overs. Sri Lanka registered an 83 runs difference victory in their final group match of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Charith Asalanka was crowned as the Player of the Match for his impressive 21 balls 46 runs.
