ODI World Cup 2023 qualifiers: Lanka close in on qualification with win over NED

If Maheesh Theekshana scalping three important wickets werent enough Dhananjaya de Silva hit a careerbest 93 to ensure Sri Lankas pole position in the Super Six leg of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 qualifiers on FridaySri Lanka now have six points from three games and are likely to finish among top two and qualify for the October 5 to November 19 tournament proper in IndiaOn the day Dhananjayas 111ball knock studded with eight fours and two sixes helped Sri Lanka recover from 96 for six to post a belowpar 213 in 474 oversTheekshana then took three wickets in the space of two overs to derail the Dutch chase as they were all out for 192 in 40 overs Wanindu Hasaranga took 2 for 53During the Sri Lankan innings it was DhananjayaTheekshana pair that added 77 runs for the eighth wicket after the islanders had slumped to 131 for 7 due to an inspired opening spell by West Indies victory hero Logan van Beek 326Sri Lanka keeps the winning streak going in the Super Six stage with an important victorySLvNED CWC23 LionsRoar pictwittercomaRPujhiPNKmdash Sri Lanka Cricket OfficialSLC June 30 2023A target of 214 was certainly within reach for the Dutch even on a tricky wicket for the battersTheir cause was not helped by both openers falling for ducks Lahiru Kumara removing Vikramjit Singh and Dilshan Madushanka accounting for Max ODowdHowever a 77run partnership between Wesley Barresi 52 and Bas de Leede 41 got the chase back on track It was ended by some sharp work in the field by Dasun Shanaka with Barresi short of his ground while trying to steal a singleAlso Read Players should demand more money from India vs Pakistan ODI World Cup Chris GayleTeja Nidamanuru then became the third Dutch batter to go for a duck bowled by Hasaranga In came Scott Edwards and the skipper quickly settled in alongside De Leede the pair adding 36 in six oversSri Lanka were in desperate need of a breakthrough and it came from Theekshana who snuck one through the defences of De Leede He added two more in his next over including the vital wicket of Van Beek before another runout saw Shariz Ahmed depart for two leaving the Netherlands on 151 for eightThe final pair were left to get 38 from 17 overs and the inform Edwards helped them get close but the skipper was left stranded unbeaten on 67 when Aryan Dutt was clean bowled by ShanakaIn the other game of the day in Harare Ireland eased to victory in the 7th place playoff semifinal beating the USA by six wicketsBrief ScoresSri Lanka 213 all out in 474 overs Dhananjaya de Silva 93 Logan van Beek 326 Bas de Leede 342 Netherlands 192 in 40 overs Scott Edwards 67 not out Wesley Barresi 52 Maheesh Theekshana 331 Wanindu Hasaranga 253USA 196 all out in 424 overs Sushant Modani 55 Saiteja Mukkamalla 55 Craig Young 335 Andy McBrine 219 Ireland 1974 in 342 overs Paul Stirling 58 Andy Balbirnie 45 Nosthush Kenjige 241 Nisarg Patel 120