New Delhi: Sri Lanka and the Netherlands have qualified for the Super 12 stage of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka topped pool A while the Netherlands stood second to qualify. A win over the Dutch team ensured qualification for Sri Lanka while UAE beating Namibia in a close encounter made way for the Netherlands.
Both teams have won two games out of three while UAE and Namibia could manage one victory each in pool A. Sri Lanka had a poor start to the tournament after Namibia caused a big upset while the Netherlands started their campaign with two consecutive wins.
In Sri Lanka vs Netherlands game today, Kusal Mendis’ 79 off just 44 balls helped the team to post a total of 162/6 and the Sri Lankan bowling attack showed experience to stop their opponent at 146/9. Two early wickets by Paul van Meekeren put Sri Lanka into trouble but Mendis along with Charith Asalanka brought things back on track with a 60-run partnership. Max O’Dowd showed class and stood till the end with 71* off 53 while Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana picked wickets from the other end.
In the game between UAE and Namibia, the latter looked like the favourites but UAE showed temperament in the bowling attack and won the game by just 7 runs. Fifty by Muhammad Waseem followed by Chundangapoyil Rizwan’s 43* off 29 and Basil Hameed’s 25* off 14 helped UAE to reach 148/3. Arab bowlers also picked wickets at regular intervals, where Basil Hameed and Zahoor Khan picked two each. It was David Weisse’s brilliance that took the game close with a cracking inning of 55 off 36.
The group round for pool A has come to end while the other two teams will be decided from pool B.
