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Vikramjit, Barresi help Netherlands thump Oman

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The Netherlands kept their World Cup hopes alive with a 74 run win over Oman, in a rain-shortened game in Harare, though the margin of victory wasn’t quite enough to see them leapfrog Zimbabwe nor Scotland on net run rate.
That was the case primarily down to Ayaan Khan who played a chance-laden hand to register a maiden ODI ton on his way to an unbeaten 105 off 92 deliveries. Alongside him, it was only Shoaib Khan that played an innings of any note for Oman, as the pair combined for a 112-run fifth wicket stand – though at no point did they look like they could seriously threaten the mammoth Dutch total.
Ayaan was at the crease when bad light brought play to an early close with Oman on 246 for 6, 44 overs into the chase. Having elected to bat and scored 362 for 7 in a 48-over game, the Dutch had needed to restrict Oman to 242 to ensure their NRR went above that of Scotland. This would have been crucial in the event of three-way tie for second place.
That can only transpire if Scotland beat Zimbabwe on Tuesday, and the Netherlands then beat Scotland themselves. As things stand, even if Scotland secure a win today, the Dutch need to  beat Scotland by a big enough margin to leapfrog them on NRR. Any result but a Scotland win today (04) sees the Dutch eliminated.
That they couldn’t secure the necessary margin of victory on Monday might be a minor source of disappointment, as their batters had put them in prime position to do so. Vikramjit Singh notched a maiden ODI century, Wesley Barresi nearly got one of his own, and then cameos from Bas de Leede and Saqib Zulfiqar spearheaded a late onslaught that saw 127 runs scored off the final 10 overs.
Their bowlers then gave them a dream start reducing Oman to 4 for 102, only for Ayaan and Shoaib to come together for their defiant stand, one which would have been particularly disappointing seeing that Ayaan had been dropped three times – on 12, 20 and 33 – over the course of his innings. While all three were of varying difficulty, the fact that none were taken would have stung.
That wasn’t to take away from Ayaan’s knock though, which encompassed 11 fours and two sixes – one a sumptuous lofted straight drive, and the other a powerful pick-up over long-on. His control percentage of 77% however highlights another area in where the Dutch might have felt a touch unfortunate, with several mishits falling safe.
He struggled most against the excellent Aryan Dutt, whose changes in pace and subtle variations had several Oman batters in difficulty. The right-arm off spinner would end with figures of 3 for 31 in 10 overs, accounting for the scalps of the only other batters to get in aside from Aayan – Kashyap Prajapati, Mohammed Nadeem and Shoaib.
Though where Oman really lost the game was in the field, conceding 36 extras in total, inclusive of 23 wides. In a game shortened by two overs a side, Oman gave away nearly four extra overs. This came alongside a poor ground fielding effort in which the several easy singles and twos were given away – all of which would add up.
Credit however must be given to the Dutch, who have set the benchmark across the entire tournament in terms of their running between the wickets. Against Sri Lanka, a much better fielding unit, this aggression was sometimes to their detriment, but against Oman every inch that could be gained was.
It was the foundation of an innings that never really slowed down, starting with a 117-run opening stand off 132 deliveries and culminating in that devastating death overs assault. In between there was the Singh-Barresi stand for 80 off 72, and then when Singh fell shortly after reaching his century, Barresi would up the ante in successive stands of 30, 55 and 57 with Scott Edwards, de Leede and Zulfiqar respectively.
No bowler had a strike rate of less than a 100 against him, though he took a particular liking to the spin of Aaqib Ilyas – stand-in skipper for the injured Zeeshan Maqsood – and Ayaan, taking the former for two sixes over cow corner and the latter for a flat smote over long-off. His 97 came off just 65 deliveries, inclusive of 10 fours and three sixes.
The Dutch played the game state well too, promoting both de Leede and Zulfiqar above Teja Nidamanuru when quick runs were the order of the day. The pair would score a combined 72 between them off just 36 deliveries. While that was enough to keep them in with chance of qualification, now they need to hope Scotland do their part today (04)
Brief scores:
Netherlands 362 for 7 (Bikramjit 110, Barresi 97, Bilal 3-75) beat Oman 246 for 6 (Ayaan 105*, Shoaib 46, Dutt 3-31) by 74 runs on the DLS method


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Former Zimbabwe player and umpire Sarah Dambanevana dies aged 36

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Sarah Dambanevana (1990-2026) ( Zimbabwe Cricket)

Former Zimbabwe  fast bowler and umpire Sarah Dambanevana passed away in Harare on Monday. She was 36.

A Zimbabwe Cricket release said Dambanevana was in hospital receiving care since undergoing a medical procedure in March.

Her senior international umpiring career began on 2 September 2023, and she went on to officiate at the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the UAE and the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 in India and Sri Lanka, where she was part of the tournament’s historic all-female panel of match officials.

Prior to that, Dambanevana officiated in the final between India and England at the 2023 Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa, becoming the first Zimbabwean woman to umpire a World Cup final.

Overall, she officiated in 63 senior internationals, comprising 42 women’s T20Is, 11 women’s ODIs and 10 men’s T20Is, alongside her assignments in domestic cricket and global youth tournaments.

Dambanevana also represented Zimbabwe as a player between 2009 and 2014, including at the World Cup Qualifier in 2011. She joined the ICC development panel of umpires in 2022.

“Sarah served Zimbabwe with distinction, first as a player and then as an umpire whose ability earned her a place on the world stage,” ZC chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani said. “Watching her stand in a World Cup final was a moment of immense pride for our cricket community and our country. She showed young Zimbabwean women that they belong at the highest levels of the game, including in roles where opportunities had long been limited.

“Through her achievements, she opened doors and gave others the confidence to pursue their own ambitions. We will remember her dedication, her professionalism and her willingness to help others grow. Her passing leaves a painful void in our cricket family, but the example she set will continue to inspire those who follow in her footsteps.”

(Cricinfo)

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Deflated Sri Lanka look to prevent whitewash against dominant Pakistan

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Kusal Mendis will hope for a better performance from himself and his team (Cricinfo)

Even counting the win against Bangladesh at the Asian Games Sri Lanka have lost 12 T20Is to the two they have won since their win against Australia in the 2026 T20 World Cup. There have been significant personnel changes in that period. Captains have changed. There is a new head coach. Various batting orders have been trialled. But on Sunday’s evidence, they are deeply outmatched by even this Pakistan side, who themselves are hardly world-beaters at the moment, having not made the World Cup semi-finals this year.

With as highly-rated a coach in Gary Kirsten and a new captain in Kusal Mendis still searching desperately for a stronger combination, expect Sri Lanka to be in flux for this match as well. In game two, spinner Maheesh Theekshana was taken apart, while the seamers struggled to threaten Pakistan’s batters on a flat Rawalpindi deck. The decks don’t look like they are going to be any better for bowling. Sri Lanka’s attack will have to find new gears.

Pakistan are in the rare position of being utterly dominant in a white-ball series against an opponent who even in their previous low ebbs have challenged them. Having sewn up the trophy 2-0, Pakistan are in a position to rest key players. But it is so rare that their batters get to dine out across a whole series, management will be mighty tempted to keep this tuneful band together.

Even if Sri Lanka’s bowlers get through the Pakistan top order this time, the middle order could do with a decent workout.

So far in this series, Maaz Sadaqat  has thumped 50 off 29 balls, and 96 off 51, showcasing not only power against spin, but touch against pace when the ball has demanded it. Sri Lanka are going seam-heavy in this series, but Sadaqat has found ways to take down even the little spin he has come up against, particularly in the second T20I. Sri Lanka are likely to switch up their attack a little for the last match, so he may have new problems to solve on Tuesday.

A long-term performer in Sri Lanka’s domestic cricket, Lahiru Udara has finally made a mark in white-ball internationals, hitting 91 off 55 balls in the first match of this series. A good bouncer from Salman Mirza prevented him from making a similar impact in the second match. But at age 32, Udara will know he doesn’t have many chances to convert an excellent domestic record into a long run in the national side. Anotherood score in match three will shore up his place.

Rawalpindi surfaces have tended to be batting friendly, and the track for the third T20I will likely have plenty of runs in it. The weather on Tuesday evening is expected to be fine, with temperatures in the low 20s celsius.

As legspinner Abrar Ahmed has had a couple of modest outings in this series, Pakistan may bring in left-arm wristspinner Sufyan Moqim, whose T20I stats so far in a 21-match career are encouraging.

Pakistan XI (probable): Sahibzada Farhan (capt), Fakhar Zaman,  Maaz Sadaqat, Hasan Nawaz, Saim Ayub, Khawaja Nafay (wk),  Shadab Khan,  Mohammad Imran,  Naseem Shah, Salman Mirza,  Sufyan Moqim

Sri Lanka’s misfiring top order could do with a tweak or two, but there are not many spare batters on this tour. They could potentially bring back Kamil Mishara in place of an allrounder, however. With Maheesh Theekshana having been taken down on Sunday, Sri Lanka will also be tempted to try out legspinner V Viyaskanth. Dushmantha Chameera could also come back if he is fit.

Sri Lanka XI (probable): Lahiru Udara, Sineth Jayawardena,  Kusal Mendis (capt, wk),  Kamindu Mendis,  Sahan Arachchige,  Dasun Shanaka,  Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Maheesh Theekshana/V Viyaskanth, Eshan Malinga,  Dushmantha Chameera/Binura Fernando,  Nuwan Thushara

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Heavy showers about (100-150) mm are likely at some places in the Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva and Southern provinces

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WEATHER FORECAST FOR 13 October 2026
Issued at 2.00 p.m. on 12 October 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

A low-pressure area may form over the southeastern Bay of Bengal by 13 October.

Under the influence of this system, an increase in rainfall is expected over the island and the deep and shallow sea areas around the island during the next few days from tomorrow (13).

The general public, as well as the naval and fishing communities, are requested to be attentive to the future forecasts and bulletins issued by the Department of Meteorology in this regard.

Heavy showers about (100-150) mm are likely at some places in the Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva and Southern provinces.
Fairly heavy showers  above 75 mm are likely at some places in the other areas of the island. Showers or thundershowers will occur in most parts of the island.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces during the early hours of the morning.

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