A United Arab Emirates spinner snared the first hat-trick of the T20 World Cup on Tuesday night, but Sri Lanka secured a 79-run win at Geelong’s Kardinia Park despite his heroics.
Young leg-spinner Karthik Meiyappan ran amok during the 15th over of Sri Lanka’s innings, removing second drop Bhanuka Rajapaksa, third drop Charith Asalanka and captain Dasun Shanaka as the opposition crashed to 5-117.
Unleashing his wrong ‘un on each occasion, Meiyappan had Rajapaksa caught at deep cover, drew a faint edge to have Asalanka caught behind and produced a gorgeous delivery to dismiss Shanaka, giving it extra flight and fizzing it between the skipper’s bat and front pad.
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Sri Lanka managed a mini recovery to post 8-151 and backed it up with a superb showing with the ball, skittling the UAE for 73 runs in 17.1 overs.
It was a desperately needed win for the Sri Lankans, whose pursuit of the super-12 stage was looking precarious after a shock 55-run defeat to Namibia in the first match of the tournament.
Right-arm fast Dushmantha Chameera spearheaded Sri Lanka’s bowling brilliance, ripping through the UAE’s top order and registering 3-15.
But the most impressive bowling performance of the night belonged to hat-trick hero Meiyappan.
The 22-year-old bagged the UAE’s first-ever T20 international hat-trick and became just the fifth man to have achieved the feat at a T20 World Cup, joining Brett Lee (2007), Curtis Campher (2021), Wanindu Hasaranga (2021) and Kagiso Rabada (2021).
“Could not have bowled that ball any better!” Dirk Nannes said of the third ball in commentary.
“Three batsmen in a row not picking this delivery. Supreme execution. Comprehensively bowled … magnificent piece of bowling.”
Meiyappan wore a beaming smile as he talked about the hat-trick during the innings break.
“It definitely hasn’t (sunk in). Getting a hat-trick in a World Cup game, especially against a Test-playing nation (in) Sri Lanka — that is really a great feeling and it really hasn’t sunk in yet. So (I’m) going through the emotions,” Meiyappan said.
“There was not so much purchase off the wicket, but I think it was important for me to keep it stump to stump. So if they miss, I it. And that is all that I did.”
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