Having muddled through the preliminary stage in Geelong, Sri Lanka booked their place in the Super 12 with a 16-run win over the Netherlands.
Whether the vanquished Dutch will advance through with them depends on how the UAE fare against Namibia in the second match of the double-header at Kardinia Park.
If UAE do break their T20 World Cup duck – they have no wins in five games so far between their appearances in 2014 and this tournament – they will send Namibia out and the Dutch through.
The Netherlands started the day top of the group and two points clear of Sri Lanka and Namibia – yet still felt precariously placed.
Their two victories had been achieved in the last over of their games against Namibia and UAE, meaning their net run-rate was negligible.
Sri Lanka had given their own NRR a bump by thrashing UAE two days earlier, while Namibia were still feeling the benefit of the hiding they gave Sri Lanka in the opening match.
All of which meant a win would definitely put the Dutch out, while in all likelihood a loss would send them out.
They started well enough, restricting the Asia Cup champions’ scoring rate in the Powerplay, before Paul van Meekeren struck twice in two balls with the score on 36.
Bas de Leede also took two wickets, and held the lead in the wicket-taking charts for the tournament in the process.
Opener Kusal Mendis batted through the innings for Sri Lanka before he was dismissed for 79 in the last over, anchoring his side to a total of 162 for six.
Netherlands struggled in replay in the face of the excellence of Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana , who picked up five wickets between them.
Max O’Dowd delayed the inevitable for the Dutch. As Mendis had done earlier, the opener batted till the final over of the reply, as he made 71 not out, but his side could only get to 146 for nine.
