GEELONG, Australia: Dusan Shanaka’s patched-up Sri Lanka lineup beat Netherlands to secure a spot in the Super 12 stage at the Twenty20 World Cup and the Dutch advanced despite the loss when United Arab Emirates upset Namibia later Thursday in the last of the Group A games.
Former champion Sri Lanka’s 16-run victory in its must-win game meant Netherlands needed UAE to produce an unlikely win over Namibia to have any chance of progressing.
Namibia had opened the tournament with a big upset over Sri Lanka, a three-time finalist. UAE had never won a game at the T20 World Cup — until Thursday.
The underdogs held on for a 7-run victory despite David Wiese’s rearguard half century and 70-run eighth-wicket stand with Ruben Trumpelmann to give Netherlands a pass into the second phase and end Namibia’s run in the preliminaries.
The top two teams in each of the first-round groups will join the top eight teams in the next phase, which starts Saturday with defending champion Australia taking on New Zealand in a rematch of last year’s final.
Muhammad Waseem scored 50 and skipper CP Rizwan post an unbeaten 43 to lift UAE to 148-3 after winning the toss and electing to bat.
When Namibia slipped to 69-7 in reply after pace bowler Zahoor Khan picked up two wickets in four balls with his yorkers in the 13th over, the Dutch players who stayed to watch in the stands were clapping and cheering.
Things got more tense when Wiese (55) and Trumpelmann (25 not out) went on the attack and cut the equation to 20 runs needed from two overs, and suddenly Namibia appeared more likely to secure a spot in the next stage.
With 10 needed off the last three balls, Wiese tried to hit Waseem over the long-on boundary but didn’t quite middle it and Alishan Sharafu took a catch just inside the rope to end Namibia’s hopes. Namibia finished 141-8.
“It is a great moment. Really grateful,” Rizwan said of the drought-breaking win. “It was just a matter of time. Today, all departments clicked together.
“We want to grow on this. We want to show we’re here not just to compete, but to make an impact.”
That will have to wait until the next tournament.
Sri Lanka and Netherlands finished with two wins apiece, with the Sri Lankans in top spot due to a superior run-rate.
The Sri Lankans posted a competitive 162 for six, including 102 in the last 10 overs, on a two-paced wicket before restricting Netherlands to 146 for nine.
Kusal Mendis equaled his career best T20 international score of 79 and almost carried his bat through. He faced 44 deliveries and hit five fours and five sixes before being dismissed in the last over. By then, he had done the damage.
Netherlands was never really in the run chase, with spinners Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga sharing five wickets between them.
Opener Max O’Dowd batted through the innings but played a mostly lone hand and finished with an unbeaten 71 off 53 deliveries, including six fours and three sixes.
Despite qualifying for the second round, Sri Lanka has major injury concerns with three players already ruled out of the tournament. And opening batter Pathum Nissanka didn’t field against Netherlands as he had been taken for a precautionary scan.
“We had a bad first game. We were not too sure of the conditions but I guess after that we settled down and played really well,” said Mendis, who was voted player of the match. “I just tried to bat the first 10 overs and once I was set, I tried to cash in.”
Places in Group B will conclude in Hobart on Friday with all four teams still in contention with a win and a loss each. Two-time champion West Indies will take on Ireland, and Zimbabwe is against Scotland.
Sri Lanka, Netherlands advance at World T20 after UAE’s win
https://arab.news/9w7kv
Sri Lanka, Netherlands advance at World T20 after UAE’s win
- Namibia had opened the tournament with a big upset over Sri Lanka
- The top two teams in each of the first-round groups will join the top eight teams in the next phase
Chelsea paid for costly errors in Arsenal defeat, says Rosenior
LONDON: Liam Rosenior admitted Chelsea paid the price for costly mistakes after Arsenal took advantage of his side’s blunders to win 3-2 in the League Cup semifinal first leg on Wednesday.
Rosenior’s team face a tough task to set up a final against either Manchester City or Newcastle following their error-strewn display in their new manager’s first home match.
Chelsea were guilty of sloppy marking for Ben White’s early headed opener before goalkeeper Robert Sanchez gifted striker Viktor Gyokeres Arsenal’s second goal after half-time.
Alejandro Garnacho got one back for Chelsea but Martin Zubimendi then netted for Arsenal after more lacklustre defending from Rosenior’s men.
Substitute Garnacho’s second goal gave Chelsea a glimmer of hope heading into the second leg at the Emirates Stadium in February.
“Disappointed to concede from a corner. Disappointed with the third goal as well because we were right back in the game and we were on top at that moment,” Rosenior said.
“We switched off from a restart from a central free-kick but I can’t fault the players.
“We need to make sure we perform well individually and we don’t concede as many goals.”
Rosenior was without a host of key players, including Cole Palmer, Reece James and Liam Delap, due to injuries and illness.
‘It’s another step’
In his second game since replacing Enzo Maresca as Blues boss, the 41-year-old took heart from the way Chelsea kept fighting to find a way back into the tie.
“We’ve had illness in the squad, we’ve picked up a few knocks this week but what the squad has shown is that they are willing to run and fight for each other,” he said.
Rosenior, who oversaw a 5-1 FA Cup third-round win at Charlton in his debut last weekend, refused to condemn Sanchez for the latest in a long line of shaky performances.
“Rob’s a very good goalkeeper. He made an outstanding save at 3-1 to keep us in the tie, so for me load of things to improve but the overall attitude of the team I liked,” Rosenior said.
“Hopefully, we get a few bodies back for Brentford on Saturday.”
Arsenal are now unbeaten in 10 games in all competitions as they moved a step closer to their first silverware since the 2020 FA Cup.
The Gunners had lost their previous four semifinals across a variety of competitions, including the League Cup last year.
Mikel Arteta was impressed with Arsenal’s ability to subdue Chelsea for long periods, but he was left to rue their failure to kill off their London rivals.
“I have to praise the players for the performance against a really good opponents. It’s a really tough place to come. That’s why I really value what the team has done again,” Arteta said.
“We had two massive chances to score the fourth one and the result would have been very different. At that moment they created a chance and scored a goal. So it is a very different feeling. It’s game on.”
As well as leading the Premier League, Arsenal are also still chasing Champions League and FA Cup glory.
But after so many last-four failures in the recent past, Arteta won’t take anything for granted.
“It’s another step. It’s just half-time. We know the big fight we are going to have at the Emirates in a few weeks because they are a top side,” he said.
“What we’re doing every three days is impressive.”
