Live
- AP Assembly session continues for fourth day, discussion on budget today
- YSRCP leader Gowtham Reddy booked for attempt to murder
- Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy Extends Kartika Purnima Greetings
- CM A. Revanth Reddy Wishes People on Guru Nanak Jayanti
- Wanaparthy District: On Friday morning, a tourist bus lost control and went into the crop fields on National Highway
- Green buildings essential for sustainable development: Khandre
- Basavanagudi Kadalekai Parishe: Govt gives good news to groundnut traders
- Yanamala blames YSRCP policies for collapse of state economy
- Call to inculcate habit of reading books
- 63% parents give milk to their kids to maintain intake of calcium
Lanka score first win in this tourney
Samarawickrama's 91 helps side defeat Netherlands, script maiden win in this World Cup
Lucknow : Sadeera Samarawickrama displayed unwavering composure in his unbeaten half-century as he guided Sri Lanka to a clinical five-wicket win over the Netherlands and secure their first victory in this World Cup, here on Saturday.
South African-born Sybrand Engelbrecht (70) and Logan van Beek (59) led a remarkable recovery with maiden half-centuries to help the Netherlands post a fighting 262 after they opted to bat.
In reply, Dutch off-spinner Aryan Dutt (3/44) snared Kusal Perera (5) and skipper Kusal Mendis (8) inside the powerplay, but Sri Lanka never lost sight of the target on a dry and spinning Ekana pitch with Samarawickrama anchoring their chase without taking any risks.
Lending solidity to the middle-order, Samarawickrama, who slammed a maiden ODI hundred against Pakistan earlier, got to a well-deserved half-century -- his sixth in ODIs -- in 53 balls en route to his unbeaten knock of 91 to seal Sri Lanka's chase with 10 balls to spare.
This was bottom-placed Sri Lanka's first win after enduring three losses on the trot in the 10-team showpiece event. Pathum Nissanka (54; 52b) came up with a third straight half-century to set it up before Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka took the chase away from the Netherlands in a 77-run fourth-wicket stand.
Brief scores
Netherlands: 262 all out in 49.4 overs (Sybrand Engelbrecht 70, Logan van Beek 59; Dilshan Madushanka 4/49, Kasun Rajitha 4/50) lost to Sri Lanka: 263 for 5 in 48.2 overs (Pathum Nissanka 54, Sadeera Samarawickrama 91 not out, Charith Asalanka 44, Dhananjaya de Silva 30; Aryan Dutt 3/44) by 5 wickets.
