0.0 : A very interesting game is going on at the moment between Ireland and Namibia to decide the final team to qualify from Group A and as we keep a close eye on the result, allow us to welcome you all for the coverage of the last game of the qualifying stage involving Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. There is nothing much to gain for these two teams as Sri Lanka have already booked their place in the Super 12 and the Dutch team, surprisingly, missed the bus quite early. Basically, one team would look |
... MATCH DAY ... |
Sri Lanka have been pretty much clinical in their performances so far in the tournament. They first beat Namibia by a comfortable margin of 7 wickets and then despite a nervy start against Ireland, they outclassed them by 70 runs. The Netherlands, on the other hand, despite being a strong team on paper lost to Ireland in their opening encounter and were surprisingly knocked out by Namibia in the next game. The Dutch team has quite a few utility players for this format and with nothing much to lo |
Update - Namibia have beaten Ireland by 8 wickets to qualify for the Super 12. They will be placed in Group 2 along with teams like India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan and Scotland. |
Toss - Pieter Seelaar and Dasun Shanaka are in the middle. The Lanka skipper has the coin and he gives it a good toss. Tails is the call but it has come down as Heads. SRI LANKA ELECT TO FIELD! |
Sri Lanka (Playing XI) - Kusal Perera (WK), Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka (In for Dinesh Chandimal), Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (C), Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Lahiru Kumara. |
The captain of Sri Lanka, Dasun Shanaka, says that they will bowl first. He adds that it is mainly because they will be playing three games here and they can understand the conditions better. He says that he did not see the last match but in the Indian T20 League, chasing was better on this pitch. He mentions one change, Charith Asalanka comes in for Dinesh Chandimal. Says that they have a young group and it is all about execution. |
Pieter Seelaar, the skipper of Netherlands, says that he wasn't quite sure what to do and now they'll need to put runs on the board. Says they have a series coming up against South Africa. Informs that they have made three changes and Ryan ten Doeschate is not playing. Talking about Ryan ten Doeschate, he says he has won them many games and has been a great guy to be around and he hopes best for his future. |
Netherlands (Playing XI) -Â Max O'Dowd, Stephan Myburgh, Ben Cooper (In for Ryan ten Doeschate), Colin Ackerman, Bas de Leede, Scott Edwards (WK), Roelof van der Merwe, Pieter Seelar (C), Fred Klaassen, Paul van Meekeren (In for Logan van Beek), Brandon Glover (In for Timm van der Gugten). |
0.1 : Chamika Karunaratne to Stephan Myburgh, Huge shout for an lbw to begin the game! Not given. Fuller and around leg, shaping in after landing, Stephan Myburgh tries to flick but misses. It takes his pads and runs wide of the diving keeper. They cross and it's given as a bye. Interesting. |
0.2 : Chamika Karunaratne to Max O'Dowd, On a length and around middle, Max O'Dowd closes the face of his bat and works it wide of short fine leg for a couple of runs. |
0.0 : The players have lined up for their respective national anthems. It is Netherlands's first followed by Sri Lanka's. We are all done with the pre-match formalities. Out walks the players of Sri Lanka. Stephan Myburgh and Max O'Dowd are the openers for the Netherlands. Chamika Karunaratne to start with the ball.  |
0.3 : Chamika Karunaratne to Max O'Dowd, Fullish and on middle, swinging down, Max tries to work it away but misses. He is hit on the pads but it's doing too much and would have missed leg. |
0.4 : Chamika Karunaratne to Max O'Dowd, OUT! RUN OUT! Dasun Shanaka hits the bull's eye and earns the first breakthrough for his team. Fractionally short in length and outside off, Max O'Dowd stays back to punch it away but mistimes it off the bottom edge towards mid off. They attempt for a run and Dasun Shanaka attacks the ball. He picks it up and scores a direct hit at the bowler's end. They appeal, it's referred upstairs and the replays find Max O'Dowd short. |
0.5 : Chamika Karunaratne to Stephan Myburgh, Wide! Way too wide outside off, Stephan Myburgh has nothing to do with it. |
Chamika Karunaratne to Stephan Myburgh, FOUR! Up and over the infield. Full in length and around off, angling away, Stephan Myburgh frees his arms and lofts it over the leaping mid off fielder for a boundary. |
0.4 : Ben Cooper walks out at number 3. |
0.6 : Chamika Karunaratne to Stephan Myburgh, Play and a miss! Identical to the last delivery but this time it stays a bit low, Stephan swishes and misses. |
Who will bowl from the other end? It is Dushmantha Chameera. |
1.1 : Dushmantha Chameera to Ben Cooper, Pitches it up and outside off, Ben Cooper drives but finds the short cover fielder. |
1.2 : Dushmantha Chameera to Ben Cooper, Swing and a miss! The batsman swings hard at that one but does not connect. |
0.3 : A direct hit from Dasun Shanaka and an appeal for a run out has been referred upstairs. The replay shows Max O'Dowd is well out of his crease and he is a goner. |
Dushmantha Chameera to Ben Cooper, Another delivery in the channel outside off, Ben tries his best to drive it through the line but misses. |
1.4 : Dushmantha Chameera to Ben Cooper, FOUR! Streaky! A pacy delivery, on a length outside off and angling away, once again Cooper throws his bat at it and drags it off the inner edge. It beats the stumps and the diving keeper before scooting away to the fence at fine leg. |
1.5 : Dushmantha Chameera to Ben Cooper, FOUR! Short and around leg, Cooper tries to pull but it perhaps takes his gloves and speeds away to the fine leg fence. Once again the batter was in no control of his shot. In fact, the replays show that there was no bat involved but the umpire has not spotted it. Given as a boundary to the batsman. |
1.6 : Dushmantha Chameera to Ben Cooper, Around leg, on a length, Ben fails to flick and it goes off his pads to the on side. A leg bye to complete the over. |
Change in bowling. Maheesh Theekshana is into the attack now. |
2.1 : Maheesh Theekshana to Ben Cooper, Flatter and a touch short on off, Cooper gets back and works it to deep mid-wicket for a run. |
2.2 : Maheesh Theekshana to Stephan Myburgh, Fuller and around off, it's driven to the left of cover-point for a single. |
2.3 : Colin Ackermann is the new man in. |
Maheesh Theekshana to Ben Cooper, OUT! Timber! A couple of off breaks followed by a well-disguised carrom ball around leg. It's bowled at 93 kph, Ben Cooper gives the charge and attempts to whip it across the line but misses. The stumps are shattered and once again the Netherlands are off to a poor start in the Powerplay. |
2.4 : Maheesh Theekshana to Colin Ackermann, Loopy and full around off, Colin Ackermann walks forward and flicks it through mid-wicket for a run. |
2.5 : Bas de Leede walks out. |
2.6 : Maheesh Theekshana to Bas de Leede, Beaten! Maheesh Theekshana is bowling beautifully. Lands it full and around off, Bas de Leede plays for the turn but it goes straight on and beats the outside edge. Unplayable. End of an outstanding over, 3 runs and two wickets from it. |
3.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Colin Ackermann, Right on the money! A yorker on off at 90 mph, Colin Ackermann does well to bring his bat down in time as he digs it out to the off side. |
2.5 : Change in bowling. Lahiru Kumara steams in now. |
3.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Colin Ackermann, Yet another yorker, around off at 90 mph, Colin digs it out from the outer half of his bat to backward point. |
3.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Colin Ackermann, Lands it on a length and close to off at 88 mph, Colin Ackermann stays back and pushes it out to covers. |
2.5 : Maheesh Theekshana to Stephan Myburgh, OUT! BOWLED! Maheesh Theekshana has two in the over and Sri Lanka are on fire. Yet another carrom ball, this one is bowled in the flatter trajectory and lands on the shorter side around leg at 91 kph, Stephan Myburgh hangs back to pull it across the line but misses. The stumps once again get disturbed and the Netherlands slip further into misery. |
3.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Colin Ackermann, Very full and outside off, at 91 mph, Colin Ackermann makes room but mistimes his drive to mid off. Four dots now. Pressure building. |
3.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Colin Ackermann, SIX! This shot will release some pressure. Lahiru Kumara overpitches on this occasion, around off at 90 mph, Colin Ackermann steps back to make room and decides to fight fire with fire. Gives it the full whack of his bat and launches it over the sightscreen for a maximum. |
3.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Colin Ackermann, Tucks him up for room. On a length around middle and leg, following the batsman down the leg side, Colin defends it to the leg side. |
Change in bowling. Some more spin as Wanindu Hasaranga to bowl now. |
4.1 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Bas de Leede, Tossed up, full and outside off, Bas de Leede gets outside the line of the stumps and tries to sweep. Misses. It goes off his pads to the leg side, they appeal but nothing from the umpire. A leg bye is taken. |
4.2 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Colin Ackermann, FOUR! Nicely swept! Floated one, full and around off, Colin Ackermann goes down low and sweeps it brilliantly in front of square leg for a boundary. |
4.3 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Colin Ackermann, OUT! LBW! The decision stays as it is and Netherlands lose their 4th wicket. Flighted delivery, full and around off, Colin Ackermann tries to defend with a straight bat but it beats the inside edge and pings him on the front pad. The appeal goes up and the finger goes up as well almost instantly. That's dead plumb. Still, Colin Ackermann goes for the DRS. The Ball Tracker finds everything in line, shows three reds and Wanindu Hasaranga has his first |
4.4 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Scott Edwards, Loopy and full around off, Scott Edwards looks to defend but gets an inside edge onto the pads. |
4.3 : Scott Edwards walks out now. |
4.5 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Scott Edwards, Fullish and around off, swept behind square leg for one. |
4.6 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Bas de Leede, OUT! Yet another batsman is trapped in front of the wickets and Sri Lanka are all over Netherlands like a rash. Wanindu Hasaranga flights this one up in the air and lands it full around off, it spins back in to beat the forward defensive prod of Bas de Leede. He is rapped on the pads and once again the finger has gone up for the lbw shout. Five down in no time. |
5.1 : Dushmantha Chameera to Scott Edwards, FOUR! Fuller and on middle, angling in, Scott Edwards flicks it through the big gap at mid-wicket for a boundary. |
0.0 : Roelof van der Merwe walks out at number 7. Also, Dushmantha Chameera is back into the attack. |
5.2 : Dushmantha Chameera to Scott Edwards, In the channel outside off, Scott Edwards runs it down to third man for a run. |
5.3 : Dushmantha Chameera to Roelof van der Merwe, Back of a length around off, Roelof van der Merwe plays it down from the crease to cover-point. |
5.4 : Dushmantha Chameera to Roelof van der Merwe, Change in pace, slower one, on a length outside off, Roelof van der Merwe is deceived as he plays at it early and misses. |
5.5 : Dushmantha Chameera to Roelof van der Merwe, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Chameera goes short and hurls it around off at 89 mph, there is some extra bounce as the ball lands and Roelof van der Merwe leans back to use the pace of the bowler and ramp it towards third man. He misses and there is some noise as it goes past the bat. Kusal Perera catches and appeals, Dushmantha Chameera is not interested much but all the other Lankan players are excited. The finger has stayed down and Dasun Shanaka ta |
5.6 : Dushmantha Chameera to Pieter Seelaar, Back of a length, around off, Pieter Seelaar drops his hands and allows it through to the keeper. At the end of the Powerplay, Netherlands are in tatters at 37 for 6. |
5.5 : The skipper, Pieter Seelaar walks out now. |
6.1 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Scott Edwards, Fuller, outside off, Scott Edwards goes for the reverse sweep but gets a glove on that one to the keeper who fails to collect it cleanly. It deflects towards the leg side. |
5.5 : Review time! Now, Sri Lanka take a review for caught behind. There is a clear spike on the UltraEdge and the on-field decision has been reversed. |
6.2 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Scott Edwards, Fuller again, Scott Edwards sweeps it to backward square leg for a single. |
5.6 : Wanindu Hasaranga is back into the attack. |
6.3 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Pieter Seelaar, Shorter length, on the pads, Pieter Seelaar works it to deep mid-wicket and gets a couple. |
6.4 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Pieter Seelaar, Quicker, on the stumps, Pieter Seelaar blocks it off the front foot. |
6.5 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Pieter Seelaar, Shorter length, flatter, on off, Pieter Seelaar pushes it towards the off side. |
6.6 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Pieter Seelaar, OUT! Plumb in front! Netherlands are completely at sea in front of some quality spin bowling. Tossed up ball, landing full and around off, Pieter Seelaar stays on the back foot when he should have been forward and tries to defend. The ball turns in slightly to beat his bat and strikes him on the pads. That's very much plumb and the umpire agrees. Wanindu Hasaranga has three wickets in the match. |
7.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Scott Edwards, Touch fuller from Lahiru Kumara, outside off. Scott Edwards looks to push it on the off side but misses. |
6.6 : Fred Klaassen is the new man in. |
7.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Scott Edwards, Oh dear! Short ball, on off. Edwards takes his eyes off the ball looking to sway away from the bumper. He gets smashed right on the helmet and the ball rolls to deep cover. The batters take a leg bye. |
7.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Fred Klaassen, Fuller in length, on off, at 149 clicks. Fred Klaassen jams it out to the off side. |
7.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Fred Klaassen, Another bumper, on middle, at 147 kph. Fred Klaassen manages to sway away right on time as he half-ducks underneath it. |
7.1 : A standard concussion check after Scott Edwards gets hit on the helmet. He looks fine and is ready to resume. |
7.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Fred Klaassen, On a length, on middle. Fred Klaassen tucks it on the leg side for a single. |
7.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Scott Edwards, NOT OUT! Fuller in length, on middle and leg, angling down, Scott Edwards looks to flick but misses. He gets hit on the pads. The ball rolls on the leg side and the batters take a leg bye. Lahiru Kumara appeals for an LBW but nothing from the umpire. Sri Lanka take the review. The UltraEdge shows no bat involved while the Ball Tracker shows that the impact is with the umpire's call and it's not hitting the stumps. Scott Edwards remains safe. |
8.1 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Scott Edwards, Quicker, fuller, on the stumps, Scott Edwards reverse-paddles it off the under-edge to first slip. |
0.0 : Review time! Colin Ackermann has referred upstairs after being given LBW. UltraEdge shows no bat involved. Three reds on the Ball Tracker and the on-field decision stays. |
8.2 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Scott Edwards, Fuller, on middle and leg, Scott Edwards only manages it to hit back to the bowler. |
0.0 : Review time! Another LBW review has been taken upstairs. UltraEdge shows no bat involved. Ball Tracker shows impact is with the umpire's call and it's missing the wickets. |
8.3 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Scott Edwards, Full, on middle, Scott Edwards sweeps it to deep square leg for a single. |
8.4 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Fred Klaassen, Quicker, on middle, Fred Klaassen blocks it off the front foot. |
8.5 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Fred Klaassen, Another fuller delivery, on the stumps, Fred Klaassen defends it. |
8.6 : Wanindu Hasaranga to Fred Klaassen, Shorter length, on off, Fred Klaassen blocks it off the back foot. Just one from the over! |
9.1 : Lahiru Kumara to Scott Edwards, OUT! LBW! Wickets falling like dominos for Netherlands here! Good-length ball, on middle and leg. Scott Edwards looks to flick but the ball hurries onto him. He misses and gets hit on the pads. Lahiru Kumara appeals for an LBW and the umpire raises his dreaded finger. Netherlands review this time. Ultra Edge shows no bat involved. Ball Tracking shows all three reds and Netherlands burn their review. Lahiru Kumara bags his first wicket and Sri Lanka are |
8.6 : Lahiru Kumara to continue... |
9.2 : Lahiru Kumara to Brandon Glover, Good-length ball, outside off. Brandon Glover looks to drive but fails to make any connection. |
9.1 : Brandon Glover walks out now. |
9.3 : Lahiru Kumara to Brandon Glover, OUT! Brandon Glover goes for a 2-ball duck! Back of a length, around off, Brandon Glover looks to push it towards the off side awkwardly but gets a thin outside edge back to the keeper. This is turning out to be a big embarrassment for Netherlands. |
9.1 : DRS time. Scott Edwards is the batsman in question. He has been adjudged lbw but he decides to review it. |
9.4 : Lahiru Kumara to Paul van Meekeren, Fuller, on off, Paul van Meekeren pushes it to the short extra cover fielder. |
9.5 : Lahiru Kumara to Paul van Meekeren, Play and a miss! Shorter length, around off, Paul van Meekeren looks to cut it but misses. |
9.3 : DRINKS! Netherlands are nowhere to be seen. It is not a performance they will truly be proud of and surely they would not have hoped of ending the tournament in this fashion. It is all Sri Lanka till now and what a performance it is! Absolutely amazing. Also, Paul van Meekeren is the last man in. |
9.6 : Lahiru Kumara to Paul van Meekeren, OUT! Netherlands have been bundled out for 44 here! Another sharp yorker from Lahiru Kumara, around middle and leg, Paul van Meekeren tries to dig it out but misses. He is hit on the boot, they appeal and the umpire raises his finger in no time. That looked to be going down the leg side but Netherlands have no reviews left. |
Terrific performance by the Islanders, this is just the momentum they needed entering into the Super 12s. Their bowlers were right on the money and didn't put a foot wrong. The spinners first created havoc with Theekshana and Hasaranga coming together and scalping 5 wickets in the Powerplay. After that, their pacers finished the job with Lahiru Kumara hunting down three wickets. There is nothing to write home about the Dutch batting as they looked completely at sea against some quality spin and |
Wanindu Hasaranga, the magician, comes up for a chat. Says that their bowling, as well as batting, is on track right now and they are very happy. Tells that they have picked their bowling and batting responsibility and they are getting success with it. Mentions that Kumara bowled well and Theekshana was also outstanding. Informs that he has two variations and tries to bowl that. Ends by saying that this was a good match with the ball for them. |
... RUN CHASE ... |
All out in the blink of an eye! What a dominating bowling show from Sri Lanka! It all started with a run out and after that Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga and Lahiru Kumara joined the party and ran through the batting line-up of the Dutch team. This is the second-lowest total in T20 World Cup history, the lowest being 39, also belonging to the Netherlands against Sri Lanka in 2014. |
Right then! Just 45 runs are needed for Sri Lanka for a victory. A straightforward target for them and they will fancy chasing it out quickly. Stay tuned as the chase is just around the corner. |
We are back for the chase! The Netherlands players stride out to the middle but before that Pieter Seelaar give some pep talk to the team. Kusal Perera and Pathum Nissanka are the openers for Sri Lanka. |