T20 World Cup 2022 Sri Lanka vs Netherlands: Who won today's match?

Sri Lanka booked their place in the Super 12, beating the Netherlands by 16 runs in a Group A match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Geelong on Thursday, October 20.

Batting first after winning the toss, Sri Lanka put up 162/6 courtesy of Kusal Mendis’ 44-ball 79. In response, the Netherlands were held to 146/9 as Wanindu Hasaranga (3/28) and Maheesh Theekshana (2/32) starred with the ball for the Lankans.

The Netherlands were dealt a big blow early in their chase as Theekshana dismissed Vikramjit Singh for seven off 14 balls. The Dutch opener struggled for rhythm during his stay at the crease before miscuing a length ball from the Sri Lankan spinner to mid-on.

The Netherlands lost their second wicket before the end of the powerplay as Lahiru Kumara got the huge wicket of Bas de Leede (14). The in-form batter fended a back of a length delivery outside off and ended up nicking the ball to the keeper. The chasing side were 40/2 after six overs.

Hasaranga made life even tougher for the Dutch, dismissing Colin Ackermann for a golden duck. The batter attempted to work a googly on the leg side, but only managed a leading edge, chipping the ball straight back to the bowler. The Netherlands struggled their way to 63/3 at the halfway stage.

Tom Cooper also failed to make an impact for the Netherlands. He was cleaned up by Theekshana for 16 as he was beaten on the slog sweep. Dutch skipper Scott Edwards hit a couple of impressive sweep shots off Hasaranga. However, he was bowled by Binura Fernando for 21 trying to repeat the stroke.

Netherland’s downfall continued as Tim Pringle (two) was run-out by a direct hit from Dhananjaya de Silva, while Timm van der Gugten (0) was cleaned up by a googly from Hasaranga. The leg-spinner also castled Fred Klaassen (0) in the same over as the batter went for a wild heave.

Opener Max O'Dowd, who held one end amid the carnage, went after Fernando in the 18th over and slammed him for 6,4,4 to bring up a fighting half-century. However, Paul van Meekeren (0) was run-out in the same over following a mix-up. O’Dowd returned unbeaten on 71 off 53 balls.

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Kusal Mendis smashes 79 as Sri Lanka post 162/6

Mendis hammered a blistering 79 in 44 balls as Sri Lanka put up 162/6 after winning the toss and batting first against the Netherlands. The attacking Lankan opener dominated proceedings with Charith Asalanka’s 31 being the next best score in the innings.

Sri Lanka’s openers began cautiously and reached 36/0 at the end of the powerplay. Paul van Meekeren then struck twice off consecutive balls in the seventh over. After troubling Nissanka (14) with a short ball, he fired in a yorker which castled the seemingly ruffled batter.

Off the next delivery, Dhananjaya de Silva (0) was adjudged lbw as a full ball angled in. The batter did not take the review. However, replays showed the ball would have been missing stumps.

Mendis and Asalanka added 60 runs for the third wicket to lift the Lankans. The last ball of the ninth over from Tim Pingle was slog-swept by Mendis for a maximum - the 2000th six in the history of the T20 World Cup.

Asalanka was looking good for a big one until he bottom-edged an off-cutter from Bas de Leede and was caught by the keeper. Immediately after Asalanka’s dismissal, Mendis reached his fifty in style, whacking the Netherlands pacer for a six over deep midwicket.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa (19) came in and struck a couple of boundaries before hitting a De Leede delivery straight to long-on. At the other end, Mendis carried on attacking. He began the penultimate over by walloping Fred Klaassen for consecutive sixes. Sri Lanka, however, lost their skipper Dasun Shanaka (eight) in the same over as he holed out to long-on.

Mendis’ terrific innings ended in the last over as he top-edged a slog-sweep off Timm van der Gugten to deep midwicket. The right-handed batter struck five fours and as many sixes in his innings. Thanks mainly to his knock, the Lankans smacked 102 runs in the second half of their innings.

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Sri Lanka vs Netherlands: Who won man of the Match in today's T20 World Cup 2022 Match?

Mendis played an excellent knock for Sri Lanka, lifting them to a competitive total. With the ball, spinners Hasaranga and Theekshana did a good job.

For the Netherlands, Van Meekeren and De Leede claimed two wickets each, while O’Dowd resisted the Lankan bowling with a defiant fifty.

Mendis was named Player of the Match for setting up Sri Lanka’s win with his stroke-filled knock.