In a crucial Group A clash, Sri Lanka stayed in the World Cup running by beating the UAE by 79 runs. The match at Simonds Stadium on Tuesday saw a clinical display from Sri Lanka's fast bowlers, whose performance not only crushed the opposition but also gave their team a vital NRR boost. Moving from a loss against Namibia to this emphatic win, Sri Lanka improved their NRR to +0.60, successfully leaping ahead of the Netherlands, who sit at +0.15.
After being asked to bat, Sri Lanka got off to a flying start thanks to Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, who put on 42 runs. Although Mendis fell for 18 in the fifth over to Aryan Lakra, the scoring didn't dip, with the team crossing the 50-run mark within the powerplay.
The momentum continued as Dhananjaya de Silva and Pathum Nissanka added 50 runs for the second wicket. De Silva played a high-tempo innings, scoring 33 runs including a six and three fours. Sri Lanka looked set for a huge total until leg-spinner Karthik Meiyappan changed the game's complexion with a hat-trick.
The 15th over turned into a nightmare for Sri Lanka as the middle order crumbled. Bhanuka Rajapaksa departed cheaply for 5, followed by Charith Asalanka, who went for a golden duck. Then came the hat-trick ball: Dasun Shanaka was completely fooled by a superb googly that crashed into his stumps. This feat made Meiyappan the first UAE player to take a T20I hat-trick and the first such achievement of the tournament. Ultimately, Nissanka's 74 runs anchored the innings, guiding Sri Lanka to a solid total of 152-8 after 20 overs.
While chasing a reachable target, the UAE collapsed early as Dushmantha Chameera and Pramod Madushan tore through the top order with lethal swing and pace. The UAE batsmen struggled to find any rhythm against the new ball, quickly sliding to 42/7 by the 12th over, leaving a massive victory within Sri Lanka's reach.
The pressure continued as Maheesh Theekshana claimed the wicket of Meiyappan (the first-innings star) via stumping, and Wanindu Hasaranga bowled Afzal Khan for 19, leaving the UAE reeling at 56/9. Junaid Siddique, despite hitting the tournament's biggest six, was dismissed in the 18th over. The UAE were eventually all out for 73 in a landslide victory for Sri Lanka. Hasaranga was a standout with 3 wickets, while Chameera also finished with three.