Netherlands continue their memorable run in the ICC World Cup 2023 with another fighting total against Sri Lanka in the 19th match on Saturday, October 21. Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek recorded brilliant fifties to help the team score 262 runs while batting first at Lucknow's Ekana Cricket Stadium and also entered the record books.
Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek registered a 130-run stand for the seventh wicket to drag the Dutch side from 91/6 to a respectable total. The duo's sensational stand emerged as the highest-ever partnership for the seventh and below wicket in the ODI World Cup history.
India's MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja previously held the record for the highest partnership for the seventh wicket when they registered a 116-run stand against New Zealand in 2019. However, Dhoni and Jadeja's heroic stand against New Zealand came in a losing cause as India were bowled out on 221 runs while chasing a 240-run target in the semi-final game.
Meanwhile, Netherlands struggled for the start against Sri Lanka's pace attack. They were down to six wickets with just 91 runs on the scoreboard but Logan and Sybrand's fifties helped them pull off a big total. Dilshan Maushanka and Kasun Rajitha took three wickets each for Sri Lanka but the spinners surprisingly failed to make an impact at Lucknow's spin-friendly surface.
Aryan Dutt gave the Dutch side a hopeful start while defending with valuable early wickets of Kusal Perera and in-form Kusal Mendis. But impressive fifties from Pathum Nissanka and Sadeera Samarawickrama kept Sri Lanka ahead in the chase in a hope for maiden World Cup 2023 win.
Sri Lanka Playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (c & wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka
Netherlands Playing XI: Vikramjit Singh, Max ODowd, Colin Ackermann, Bas de Leede, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Teja Nidamanuru, Scott Edwards (c & wk), Logan van Beek, Roelof van der Merwe, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren