Netherlands win, SL beat UAE despite Meiyappan hat-trick
NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka resumed normal service after the Asia Cup winners bounced back from the shock defeat to Namibia in a 79-run win over UAE in their Group A fixture at Geelong.
Opener Pathum Nissanka topscored with 74 (60b, 6x4, 2x6) and Dhananjaya de Silva made a 21-ball 33 as the top three batsmen accounted for 125 in a total of 152/8 after UAE elected to field. Sri Lanka were left to ponder over their middle- and lower-order batting after scoring only 35 runs in the last five overs. Karthik Meiyappan, 22, a Chennai-born legspinner, took a hat-trick in the 15th over, returning UAE’S best figures (3/19), and denting Sri Lanka’s middle-order batting. He first had the hard-hitting Bhanuka Rajapaksha (5) caught and then removed Charith Asalanka and skipper Dasun Shanaka first ball.
Reduced to 117/5 after Meiyappan’s bowling heroics—he is only the fifth bowler to take a hat-trick in a T20 international game—sri Lanka never regained the batting momentum, though leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and pacer Dushmanta Chameera took three wickets each and mystery spinner
Mahesh Theekshana claimed a couple to peg back UAE.
Namibia, who beat Sri Lanka by 55 runs to cause a flutter in the first match of the qualifying stage of the World Cup, were brought back to earth by Netherlands, who beat them by three wickets to notch up their second win.
Jan Frylinck (43) again topscored for Namibia but their innings never found momentum. Openers Mark O’doud (35) and Vikramjit Singh (39) set the chase on its way before Bas de Leede (30*), son of former all-rounder Tim de Leede, guided the Dutch to victory with three ball to spare.
With Namibia (1 win, 1 loss) favoured to beat UAE (2 losses), Sri Lanka (1 win, 1 loss) must beat Netherlands (2 wins) to be in con- tention for one of the two Group A qualifying spots.
Brief scores: SL 152/8 (P Nissanka 74, Z Khan 2/26, K Meiyappan 3/19); UAE 73 in 17.1 overs (M Theekshana 2/15, D Chameera 3/15, W Hasaranga 3/8). SL won by 79 runs. Namibia 121/6 (J Frylinck 43, B de Leede 2/18); Netherlands 122/5 in 19.3 overs (M O’doud 35, Vikramjit Singh 39, J Smit 2/24). Netherlands won by three wickets.