T20 WC: Sri Lanka beat Netherlands to earn consolation win
Sri Lanka defeated Netherlands by 83 runs in the 38th Match of the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup. It was a consolation win for the Lankans, who were already out of the Super 8 race. They posted 201/6 while batting first at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia before restricting the Dutch team to 118/10. Here are the key stats.
SL post the joint-highest total of 2024 T20 WC
While Pathum Nissanka bagged a duck, Kusal Mendis (46) played an aggressive knock up front. Dhananjaya de Silva (34) kept the scorecard moving in the middle overs. Charith Asalanka (46) and Angelo Mathews (30*) provided the late impetus toward the end as SL finished at 201/6, the joint-highest total of the ongoing event. Logan van Beek (2/45) was the pick of the Netherlands bowlers.
Netherlands falter in the chase
Netherlands were off to a fine start as openers Michael Levitt (31) and Max O'Dowd (11) added 45 runs inside five overs. However, they then suffered a shocking collapse and lost seven wickets inside 35 runs. The Dutch team could never recover as they were folded for 118 in 16.4 overs. Scott Edwards (31) showcased some solidarity but his efforts were far from enough.
Joint-highest total of T20 WC 2024
SL became just the second team to post a 200-plus score in the ongoing event. They joined Australia, who posted 201/7 against England in Barbados. This was overall SL's second-highest T20 WC score. In 2007, they posted 260/6 against Kenya in Johannesburg, the highest-ever total in the competition's history to date. Meanwhile, SL have now won all their four T20 WC games against Netherlands.
Mendis closing in on this landmark
Mendis scored a 29-ball 46 with the help of five fours. He now owns 75 runs in the ongoing event at 25. While he has raced to 1,629 T20I runs at 25.06, 298 of his runs have come in T20 WCs at 29.80. The wicketkeeper-batter (3,955) is closing in on the 4,000 run-mark in T20Is. He averages 29.73 in the format.
Key numbers for Asalanka, Mathews
Asalanka made a stunning 21-ball 46 (1 fours, 5 sixes). The southpaw now owns 1,061 runs at 25.26. 433 of his runs have come in T20 WCs at 33.30. Mathews remained unbeaten on 30 off just 15 balls (1 four, 2 sixes). He has raced to 1,416 T20I runs at 27.76. The all-rounder also went past 500 (now 521) T20 WC runs at 37.21.
Nuwan Thushara delivers the goods for SL
Nuwan Thushara was the pick of the SL bowlers as he claimed 3/24 in 3.4 overs. He finished the ongoing tourney with eight wickets at an economy of 5.62. Overall, he now boasts 19 T20I wickets as he concedes runs at 7.95.
Two wickets apiece for Hasaranga, Pathirana
SL skipper Wanindu Hasaranga was sensational in the middle overs as he claimed 2/25 in his four overs. He now has 110 T20I scalps at an economy of 6.84. His tally of 37 T20 WC scalps is now only second to Lasith Malinga among SL bowlers. Meanwhile, Matheesha Pathirana finished with 3/12(3 overs). He has raced to 14 T20I scalps (3 in T20 WCs).
A look at the points table
SL finished third in the Group D standings with five points (W:2, L:1, NR:1). Netherlands finished just below them with four points, managing just one win across three outings. Even a win for Netherlands wouldn't have been enough as Bangladesh beat Nepal earlier in the day. Besides the Tigers, South Africa are the other team from Group D to qualify for Super 8s.
