(AP Photo)

An ousted Sri Lankan team convincingly defeated the Netherlands by 83 runs in the last Group D match of the T20 World Cup at Daren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia. On Sunday, opener Kusal Mendis and middle-order batsman Charith Asalanka both scored 46 runs, leading the 2014 champions to a total of 201 for six. This marked the first instance of a team scoring over 200 runs at this venue in a T20 International.

Meanwhile, as Bangladesh approached victory in a closely fought match in St Vincent, the Dutch team, initially promising, faltered and were bowled out for 118 runs in 16.4 overs in response.

Captain Scott Edwards and opener Michael Levitt both contributed top scores of 31 runs each, but Sri Lanka’s diverse and skilled bowling attack proved too formidable for the Netherlands lineup. Fast bowler Nuwan Thushara was particularly effective, taking three wickets for 24 runs.

Kusal Mendis scored his 46 runs off 29 balls with five boundaries, while Charith Asalanka played a slightly quicker innings, taking eight balls fewer and hitting one four and five sixes, largely aided by a strong crosswind at the venue on the island’s northern tip.

Logan van Beek, grandson of the late former West Indies and New Zealand cricketer Simpson “Sammy” Guillen, was the most successful bowler for the Netherlands, taking two wickets off successive balls in his third over, although he conceded 45 runs in his four overs.

The Netherlands started well with an opening partnership of 45 runs in less than five overs. However, after Nuwan Thushara dismissed Max O’Dowd, their innings steadily declined.

By the ninth over, they were struggling at 69 for four wickets when news arrived of Bangladesh’s 21-run victory over Nepal, securing the final spot in the next round of the competition. From then on, it was a matter of Sri Lanka comfortably securing the win against the disheartened Dutch team.