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Dasun Shanaka-led Sri Lanka stamped their authority with a 128-run win over Netherlands in the World Cup 2023 Qualifiers final at Harare Sports Club. Despite posting a below par total of 233 on the board, Sri Lankan bowlers Dilshan Madhushanka, Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga caused a Dutch batting collapse to bundle them out for 105 and win the final easily.
Dutch skipper Scott Edwards won the toss and opted to field first. In the absence of Dimuth Karunaratne who was nursing a hamstring injury, Sadeera Samarawickrama opened the innings alongside Pathum Nissanka. Vikramjit Singh drew first blood with the wicket of Samarawickrama in the ninth over. In-form Pathum Nissanka lost his wicket off a nothing delivery from Vikramjit. Sri Lanka lost both their openers for 44 in the 11th over. Kusal Mendis and Sahan Arachchige shared a crucial partnership. In the 20th over, Mendis' catch was dropped at deep square leg. But he could not go on to get a big score. Mendis got out lbw to Saqib Zulfiqar in the 24th over. He scored 43 runs from 52 balls.
In the 34th over, Arachchige got to his maiden ODI half-century from 65 deliveries in the 34th over. Zulfiqar got the breakthrough in the 36th over. Arachchige scored 57 runs from 71 deliveries including four fours. In the same over, Charith Asalanka got run out for run-a-ball 36. In the next over, Logan van Beek got the wicket of Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka. Sri Lanka suffered a batting collapse and got all out for 233 with 13 balls left in the innings.
Netherlands got off to a positive start with the new ball as Vikramjit hit a few boundaries. Dilshan Madushanka got the new ball talking and got the wicket of Vikramjit in the fifth over. Madushanka in his next over struck again as Wesley Barresi got bowled for a six-ball duck. Wanindu Hasaranga with his first ball of the match got Teja Nidamanuru got a two-ball duck. In his last over, Madushanka got Noah Croes for a single-digit score. The last thing Netherlands needed was a run out. Edwards attempted a quick single and was caught short of the crease. Netherlands were reduced to 41/5 in the 10 overs. Hasaranga continued to dominate and got rid of Zulfiqar as well.
From 49/6, the partnership between Max ODowd and Van Beek brought calm to the middle. Theekshana broke the partnership in the 20th over. ODowd got bowled as he failed to pick the seam up delivery. He scored 33 runs from 63 balls. In his next over, Theekshana struck twice to dismiss Ryan Klein and Aryan Dutt. He wrapped up the innings with the wicket of Clayton Floyd in the 23rd over. Sri Lanka won the final by 128 runs to win the final in a comprehensive manner.
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