Sri Lanka beats Netherlands by 5 wickets to secure its first win in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Brilliant fifties from Sadeera Samarawickrama and Pathum Nissanka guided Sri Lanka to their first win of the ICCs top event. We secure a much-needed win, defeating Netherlands by five wickets. The #LankanLions are officially off the mark! 🇱🇰🏏 #CWC23 #SLvNED pic.twitter.com/RasDdLTIya— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) October 21, 2023Chasing the target of 263 runs Sri Lanka lost opener Kusal Perera was dismissed by Aryan Dutt early in the innings for just five runs.Sri Lankas skipper Kusal Mendis took the innings forward with Pathum Nissanka. However, the short partnership between Mendis and Nissanka was broken at just 34 runs, with Aryan dismissing Mendis for 11. Sri Lanka scored 56 runs in the first powerplay. Nissanka reached his half-century in just 48 balls, bringing up his third successive half-century in the World Cup before being dismissed by Paul van Meekeran for 54 runs off 52 balls.Sadeeras brilliant innings Charith Asalanka and Sadeera carried the chase forward as the duo reached a 50-run partnership in 75 balls. Sadeera continued his good World Cup form, reaching his half-century in 53 balls.Sadeera Samarawickramas match-winning performance lit up the day! 🔥🇱🇰 #CWC23 #SLvNED #LankanLions pic.twitter.com/hwN2LHZq3A— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) October 21, 2023Dutt claimed his third wicket, removing Asalanka for 44 runs off 66 balls. Dhananjaya de Silva was cleaned up by Colin Ackermann for 30 runs off 37 balls, with one four and two sixes. SL was 257/5 in 46.5 overs.Dushan Hemantha hit the winning runs for Sri Lanka, securing the first win in the tournament. Sadeera was unbeaten at 91* in 107 balls, with seven fours. Aryan Dutt led the Duths bowling attack and scalped 3 wickets by conceding 44 runs. While Meekeran and Ackermann took a wicket each.Earlier, Netherlands posted 262/10 against Sri Lanka, helped by the fifties from Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek.The Dutch skipper Scott Edwards won the toss and invited Sri Lanka to bowl in the nineteenth game in the multinational event. Sri Lanka bowled well removing both the openers under mandatory powerplay. Kasun Rajitha scalped the wickets of Vikramjit Singh, Max ODowd, and Colin AckermannFifties by Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van BeekSybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek put up the fight adding 130 runs partnership for the seventh wicket, completing respective half-centuries in the process. Dilshan Madushanka provided his team with a major breakthrough as he removed Engelbrecht. He scored 70 runs off 82 deliveries including four boundaries and one maximum.
