Comprehensive win for Sri Lanka in the CWC qualifiers final

Sri Lanka registered a 128-run win over the Netherlands in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2023 on Sunday in Harare. Netherlands captain Scott Edwards won the toss and opted to bowl first.

After losing the toss, Sri Lanka got off to a solid start and made 39 runs for the first wicket until Sadeera Samarawickrama was dismissed for 19 runs. Five runs later, Pathum Nissanka was dismissed for 23 runs. After the dismissal of Nissanka, Sahan Arachchige joined with the Kusal Mendis and made a 72-run partnership for the 3rd wicket. Kusal Mendis was dismissed for 43 runs for the third wicket. After that, Charith Asalanka and Sahan Arachchige added 64 runs for the 4th wicket until van Beek took a sharp catch to get rid of Sahan Arachchige for 57 runs. Two balls later, Charith Asalanka unfortunately ran out for 36 runs. After that, Sri Lanka lost their skipper, Dasun Shanaka, for just 1 run and Dhananjaya de Silva for 4 runs. It put Sri Lanka in a spot of bother with seven wickets down for 190 runs. After that, Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana added 32 runs for the 8th wicket until Wanindu Hasaranga left for 29 runs. Matheesha Pathirana couldn’t contribute much with the bat, and he was dismissed for four runs. Maheesh Theekshana was stumped for 13 runs, the last wicket of the Sri Lankan innings. Eventually, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 233 runs in 47.5 overs.

In response, the Netherlands were bundled out for 105 runs in 23.3 overs. The Netherlands lost their opener, Vikramjit Singh, for 13 runs when the score was 25. Six runs later, Wesley Barresi was clean bowled by Sri Lankan pacer Madushanka for a duck. In the very next over, Teja Nidamanuru departs without scoring. Sri Lankan bowlers kept things tight and took wickets regularly. Noah Croes lbw for 7, Scott Edwards run out for 1, and Saqib Zulfiqar lbw for six runs. Sri Lankan bowlers claimed six Dutch batsmen for 49 runs within the first 12 overs. After that, Max ODowd and Logan van Beek made a 36-run partnership for the 7th wicket until Max ODowd was clean bowled by Maheesh Theekshana for 33 runs. Eight runs later, Theekshana took two wickets in one over. Ryan Klein departs for 2 runs and Aryan Dutt for a duck as the 8th and 9th wickets, respectively. 12 runs later, Clayton Floyd was dismissed for 9 runs as the last wicket for the Netherlands. For Sri Lanka, Maheesh Theekshana claimed 4 wickets, while Dilshan Madushka took 3 wickets.

With that win, Sri Lanka became the champions of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2023.