Twitter Reactions: Sri Lanka end winless run with win over Netherlands
Sadeera Samarawickrama made a significant contribution by scoring unbeaten 91 runs, aiding his team in bouncing back from a difficult situation.
Sri Lanka secured their first victory of the tournament after suffering three consecutive losses in the ODI World Cup 2023 as they beat Netherlands by five wickets at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. Sadeera Samarawickrama played a crucial role with an unbeaten 91, helping his team recover from a challenging situation.
Sri Lanka found themselves at 52 for two early in the innings, and Pathum Nissanka was dismissed a few overs later without capitalizing on his half century further. However, Samarawickrama and Asalanka combined for a 77-run partnership, stabilizing Sri Lanka's innings.
Meanwhile, despite winning the toss and batting first, Netherlands managed to bounce back from a precarious situation. At one point, they were struggling at 91 for 6, and even their talismanic captain Scott Edwards fell victim to a brilliant delivery from Maheesh Theekshana. However, it was Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek who took charge and guided the team to a competitive total of 262. But eventually Sri Lanka successfully chased down the target with five wickets to spare.
The pitch provided significant spin, and Aryan Dutt's performance for the Netherlands was once again outstanding. In his final over, he managed to break the fourth-wicket partnership by dismissing Asalanka, who succumbed to the pressure after facing several dot balls and attempted a big shot. In contrast, Samarawickrama displayed remarkable composure as he reached his fifty and continued to bat with determination. His innings showcased the required poise for batters on a challenging pitch.
Scott Edwards expressed disappointment, believing that a score of 260 was a decent total. However, the bowling performance was subpar compared to their match against South Africa. Despite favorable conditions for spinners, Dutt stood out while others, including the pacers, gave away too many free runs. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, can breathe a sigh of relief after securing their first victory. To have a chance at the top four, they need to build some momentum from here on.
Meanwhile, X was abuzz with reactions, here are some of the posts:
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