Netherlands aim to capitalise on Sri Lanka's bowling woes

The Netherlands, who just defeated South Africa in a shocking victory, will have the chance of a lifetime to defeat Sri Lanka on Saturday.

In Dharamsala, the Dutch stunned the Proteas to win their first ODI match against a Test-playing country. The men in orange will bet on a positive outcome since Sri Lanka's bowling attack is in ruins.

However, it is also true that the Netherlands' batting hasn't been very strong so far in the World Cup. The strain on the middle has increased after captain Scott Edwards saved the team in the previous game with a little assistance from the lower order. However, the top-order batters haven't yet found their groove.

Colin Ackermann, Max O'Dowd, and Vikramjit Singh, the team's top three, have not been able to lead the club to a successful start. They will have a great opportunity to regain their form against a weaker Lankan attack, which is missing many of its top bowlers owing to injuries.

However, the Dutch have had effective bowling, holding off powerful hitters. The Lankans, who have surprisingly shown to be fairly adept with the bat, will present them with a tough test. In their first two games, they scored 300 or more total points.

The side batting first has so far had an edge on the Lucknow wicket because the ball has been moving under the lights. Roelof van der Merwe, whose orthodox spin bowling can be useful on this track, will be held in high regard by the Dutch.

The Lankans' advantage will undoubtedly be maintained by their team's head-to-head record. Their most recent victory over the Netherlands came in the World Cup qualifying matches earlier this year. They have never lost to the Netherlands in ODIs.

However, the Dutch will undoubtedly outperform the Sri Lankans on the confidence meter.

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