T20 World Cup exit for Sri Lanka after big win over Netherlands

The T20 World Cup concluded on Sunday at the Daren Sammy Stadium in St. Lucia, with an out of the running Sri Lankan side defeating the Netherlands by 83 runs.

The 2014 champions set the pace with opening scorer Kusal Mendis and middle-order batsman Charith Asalanka, who both scored 46. This was the first time 200 or more had been scored at this venue in a Twenty20 International.

As Bangladesh gained momentum in a low-scoring match taking place simultaneously in St. Vincent, the Dutch saw their chances of qualifying for the Super Eight rapidly go away. They started well, losing for 118 runs in 16.4 overs in response.

Despite joint-high scores of 31 from captain Scott Edwards and opener Michael Levitt, Sri Lanka’s diverse and skilled attack proved too strong for the Netherlands lineup, with bowler Nuwan Thushara top-scoring with three for 24.

Mendis scored 29 runs off of 29 balls (five fours), and Asalanka, trailing in his wake, needed eight balls less thanks to one four and five sixes, the majority of which were assisted by a strong crosswind at the site on the island’s northern edge.

Despite his four overs costing 45 runs, Logan van Beek, the grandson of the late Simpson “Sammy” Guillen, a former West Indies and New Zealand wicketkeeper/batsman, was the top wicket-taker, picking up victims off consecutive balls in his third over.

The Netherlands got off to a quick start with a 45-run partnership inside five overs. But the innings steadily declined as soon as slingy seamer Nuwan Thushara eliminated Max O’Dowd.

When word leaked out that Bangladesh had defeated the Nepalese by 21 runs to secure the last spot in the competition, they were already struggling at 69 for four after nine overs. After that, all Sri Lanka had to do was seal the victory over the discouraged Dutch.