CWC Qualifiers: Maheesh Theekshana claims match-winning 3/31 against Netherlands
Maheesh Theekshana starred for Sri Lanka against Netherlands in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2023 in Bulawayo. Theekshana opened up the game for the Lankan Lions by claiming 3/31 to restrict Netherlands to only 192 as they won the match by 21 runs. The 22-year-old played a pivotal role in helping SL defend their low total of 213. Here we decode his stats.
A match-winning spell from Theekshana
Theekshana went wicket-less in his first three overs. He later returned for his second spell in the 22nd over and knocked over Bas de Leede, who was starting to look good in stitching a partnership with Scott Edwards. In his next over, he trapped Saqib Zulfiqar right in front of the stumps. Four balls later, he removed Logan van Beek to thwart Netherlands.
A look at his ODI numbers
Playing his 19th ODI match, Theekshana has amassed 24 wickets in this format at an average of 29.54. The right-arm off-spinner owns a sensational economy of 4.45. He has scalped a solitary four-fer (4/37) in his career which came against South Africa. This was his maiden ODI clash against the Netherlands. Theekshana has also snapped 34 wickets in 38 T20Is at 28.64.
How did the match pan out?
SL won the toss and decided to bat first and were off to a very poor start. They never got going as Netherlands kept picking wickets. Dhananjaya de Silva (93) was the lone warrior SL were bundled for 213. Bas de Leede and Logan van Beek scalped six wickets together. In reply, Netherlands folded for 192 despite fifties from Wesley Barresi and Scott Edwards.
