The Netherlands pair of Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek achieved the milestone of seventh-biggest partnership for the seventh wicket or below during the Cricket World Cup game against Sri Lanka at Lucknow.During the match at one point, Netherlands was down at 91/6 but then Sybrand and Logan unleashed a calculated counter-attack, stitching a partnership of 130 runs to take their team beyond the 200-run mark. Both batters also brought up their half-centuries.
They have overtaken the Indian pair of Kapil Dev and Syed Kirmani, who stitched a 126-run stand for the eighth wicket in a 1983 World Cup match against Zimbabwe, in which Kapil Dev made a counter-attacking 175* after India was down to 17/5.
This is also Netherland’s second-highest partnership for any wicket in WC history. The highest partnership is between Feiko Kloppenburg and KJJ van Noortwijk, a 228-run stand for the second wicket against Namibia in the 2003 edition of the tournament.
Coming to the match, the Netherlands opted to bat first and put on 262 runs in their 49.4 overs. At one point, the Dutch were at 91/6, but Sybrand (70 in 82 balls, with four boundaries and one six) and Logan (59 in 75 balls, with one four and one six) helped the Netherlands recover and put up a competitive score.
Dilshan Madhushanka (4/49) and Kasun Rajitha (4/50) were the pick of the bowlers for Sri Lanka. SL need to score 263 to win their first match of the tournament. 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.
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.
(With inputs from ANI)
