Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, T20 World Cup records & stats ahead of Match 38, Netherlands vs Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka have been eliminated from the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 while Netherlands' hopes hang by a thread. And these two teams will come across each other in their last group stage game. Notably, the European side will also look up to Bangladesh versus Nepal as that result is very important for their hopes. 

If Bangladesh manage to beat Nepal, they will go through to the Super Eight round. Even a washout will have the same result. However, should the Bangla Tigers lose to the Everest nation, then Netherlands will need to beat Sri Lanka by enough of a margin to upstage Bangladesh's NRR and go through to the Super 8s in their place. Even with the last sequence of results, the Dutch side will be eliminated if their NRR cannot go past Bangladesh's. 

It has been a while since either team played a game. Sri Lanka's previous game, against Nepal, was abandoned without a toss. Netherlands meanwhile ended up being downed by Bangladesh. Aryan Dutt's double strike in the powerplay put Bangladesh in some early trouble, but Tanzid Hasan hung around as support for Shakib al Hasan who started slow. Mahmudullah hung around for support, but Shakib's blazing hits in the death overs alongside Jaker Ali were the cornerstone of the innings. 

Netherlands looked like they were starting strongly in the powerplay, but none of their batters other than Sybrand Engelbrecht hung around long enough in a spate of quick wickets to be able to chase the total down. Bangladesh's bowling was mainly a team effort led by Mustafizur Rahman's miserliness especially at the death overs while Rishad Hossain and Tanzim Hasan provided regular wickets. 

Daren Sammy Stadium Pitch Report:

Australia just pulled off the second-highest successful chase of this tournament at this venue, so a similar batting-friendly surface can be expected for the upcoming T20 World Cup encounter. Both teams' batting have had to endure the horrors of New York, but this surface will come as a relief. 

T20I Stats and Records at Daren Sammy Stadium:

Australia's heartbreak of Scotland has put the batting first - batting second equation at 9-10 respectively from a total of 19 matches. The average first innings is 161. 

Strategies and Match-ups for Netherlands vs Sri Lanka:

The surface is likely to be batting-friendly, so both teams need to come out with firepower that has largely been missing in this competition. Sri Lanka's inexperience with power hitting is one area that Netherlands can look to exploit with the ball especially when the Dutch side's own batting has been found wanting at times. 

The important match-ups are Tim Pringle vs Pathum Nissanka, Paul van Meekren vs Kusal Mendis, and Wanindu Hasaranga vs Sybrand Engelbrecht, respectively.

X-factors for Netherlands vs Sri Lanka:

Netherlands:

Logan van Beek went for runs against Bangladesh but has been Netherlands' best bowler in this tournament. Hence the pacer will need to put in his hard yard for the Men in Orange to even have a chance of staying relevant in the ongoing T20 World Cup. 

Sri Lanka:

Sri Lanka's strongest suit in this tournament has been their bowling, and Nuwan Thushara was at the forefront of it so far. He will be the key if the Lankan Lions need to salvage some pride they are left with in the T20 World Cup 2024 tournament.