NED VS SL - Super Sixes, Match 2, ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2023

Sri Lanka were made to sweat but their bowlers, especially the spinners, were too good once again. They continue to remain unbeaten and go to the top of the points table with this nervy win. For twice in two innings, their batters have let them down. Netherlands, after downing West Indies in a memorable encounter earlier this week, almost came close to beating the 1996 champions. They now have to win both their matches and hope for a few results to go their way. Meanwhile, our experts suggested having Edwards and DDS as c/vc in your fantasy team. Theekshana and Hasaranga picked three and two wickets apiece apart from adding some crucial runs with bat. They were part of our Expert XI as well. Subscribe to Cricbuzz Plus to get access to the #FantasyHandbook. On that note, it's goodbye from all of us down here...

Dasun Shanaka: It was a tough game as the score wasn't enough. We still managed to cross the line. It's about the skill, we played some rash shots. We batted first in the last few games, so we knew the conditions. In a tournament like this, you might be down, but I am still taking it. We'll have to play according to the conditions in the first 10 overs. (On DDS) It's a masterclass innings, he deserved a hundred. Not many people can do that from that position. We knew we could defend with our bowling. Theekshana and Hasaranga take the brave call and pick the wickets for me. Scotty was on strike, I wanted to keep Theekshana for the other batter, that's why I bowled. (On Kumara's status) Still assessing, we'll get to know after the match. I want to win all the coming matches. We have to make sure that we are doing the correct things.

Scott Edwards: Disappointing for us. At the halfway mark, we thought they were definitely under-par, it was a probably a 250-260 wicket. We had a good start. Credit to them, they bowled well in that little patch there and we couldn't get over the line. We bowled well throughout the whole innings. Dhananjaya batted exceptionally well, didn't give us many chances and sometimes on those wickets, there's going to be those partnerships. We were disappointing with the bat. A run-out like that or a great piece of fielding can change the game a little bit. We bat deep, we should have gotten over the line. (Batting vs SL spinners) I look at the field and see what it is. They are quality bowlers, you got to find a way to put pressure on them. Going into the game, we knew we had 11 guys who can bat. All the way, I was confident. There was a bit of reverse at the end there and a bit of spin. I back those boys. We'll go back and see what we could have done better. We'll do what we can do to win our next two games and see what happens from there.

Dhananjaya de Silva | Player of the Match: Tough match, they fought hard from the start, they had a good start and I was lucky to have batted well. My idea was to bat through till the 50 overs. Theekshana batted really well, I was just telling him to not get out, even Wanindu batted well. Definitely, I would like to bat in the middle-order and it was good to spend some time in the middle. The boys are doing well in all three departments, the top-order is getting runs and the lower-order is supporting well.

Barresi's lethargic running led to his downfall and that opened the floodgates. Hasaranga cleaned up Teja Nidamanuru for a duck and Theekshana tilted the game in his team's favour significantly by removing three wickets within a span of seven deliveries. There was one more run-out and Netherlands were reduced to 151/8 with the skipper watching the carnage from the other end. He kept sweeping and reverse-sweeping against the spinners to notch up his fourth successive half-century. He remained unbeaten till the end but didn't receive enough support from his team-mates. Sri Lanka heave a sigh of relief!

16:14 Local Time, 14:14 GMT, 19:44 IST: Sri Lanka survive the Dutch scare! Opting to bat, they lost Nissanka off the very first ball. The Netherlands bowlers bowled with a lot of discipline and reduced the Lankans to 96/6. Dhananjaya de Silva batted sensibly and stitched a couple of crucial partnerships with Hasaranga and Theekshana which took SL's total above 200. It was clearly below par but something to work with for their bowlers on a dry surface. In reply, both the Dutch openers perished for ducks. But they still bossed the first powerplay with the experienced Wesley Barresi batting fluently in the company of Bas de Leede. The former notched up a 48-ball fifty and things were rosy for Netherlands at 88/2 in the 15th over.

Shanaka to Aryan Dutt, out Bowled!! Knocked him over! The Sri Lankan captain delivers the killer blow. The ball curls in significantly on a fullish length, too good for the No. 11 batter. Aryan Dutt is a bit late to bring his bat down on his defence and is beaten on the inside edge. TIMBER! Sri Lanka win by 21 runs! Aryan Dutt b Shanaka 7(25)

Shanaka to Aryan Dutt, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!

Shanaka to Aryan Dutt, no run, back of a length delivery, tapped to backward point and there's a loud 'no' from Aryan Dutt

Shanaka to Edwards, 1 run, walks down the track, even before the ball is delivered, turns this length ball through square leg and settles for a single

Shanaka to Edwards, no run, in-angler on leg, swings in late as well, Edwards misses the flick/glance. Late and optimistic appeal for lbw, clearly down leg...

Shanaka to Aryan Dutt, 1 run, fuller than a length, tapped in front of backward point for a quick single

Shanaka to Aryan Dutt, 2 runs, in-angling length ball, worked through mid-wicket. A fumble from Asalanka allows the batsmen to come back for the second

Dasun Shanaka [3.0-0-14-0] is back into the attack

Dhananjaya to Aryan Dutt, 1 run, offbreak from a length, punched to long-on off the back foot and they take the single off the last ball of the over

Dhananjaya to Aryan Dutt, no run, looped up delivery, very full and that's been wristed to short mid-wicket

Dhananjaya to Aryan Dutt, no run, fullish delivery, blocked

Dhananjaya to Edwards, 1 run, swept off the middle of the bat to deep square leg. The call was for two but he hit it straight to the fielder. Just a single...

Dhananjaya to Edwards, no run, nudged into the on-side

Dhananjaya to Edwards, no run, very slow on a length, Edwards tries to reverse-sweep and gets an under-edge that falls in front of the keeper