Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup campaign is on a knife’s edge, with star paceman Dushmantha Chameera limping off late in their thrashing of the UAE.
Chameera’s injury took some of the gloss off the 79-run win that kept Sri Lanka in contention to make the Super 12 stage.
It was an eventful Group A qualifying game, with UAE leg-spinner Karthik Meiyappan taking the first hat-trick of the tournament.
Adding insult to Chameera’s injury, in the same over as he left the field, Junaid Siddique hit a mammoth six off him that went more than 100m and cleared the top of the grandstand at Kardinia Park in Geelong.
Chameera tore through the UAE top order and it would be a major blow to Sri Lanka if he is unavailable for Thursday’s decisive match against the Netherlands.
“Hopefully, I think everything will be fine,” Sri Lankan captain Dasan Shanaka said post-match.
The Dutch lead Group A with two wins, while Sri Lanka and Namibia have a win apiece.
The top two teams in the group go through to the Super 12 games and Namibia are in the hunt after Sunday’s shock win over Sri Lanka.
Chameera missed their Asia Cup win last month through injury, but looked back to top shape on Tuesday when he snared three wickets to leave the UAE in tatters at 3-19.
But when he returned to the attack in the 17th over, Junaid hoiked his second delivery over the grandstand roof.
Then four balls later, Chameera pulled up at his delivery stage and immediately limped from the field.
Wanindu Hararanga also took three wickets for Sri Lanka.
Earlier, Meiyappan took the first hat-trick by a UAE player in a T20 international and only the fifth hat-trick in T20 World Cups – the first being by Australia’s Brett Lee in 2007.
He struck in the 15th over, with Sri Lanka cruising at 2-117.
First he had Bhanuka Rajapaksa caught in the deep for five and then Charith Asalanka was caught behind for a golden duck.
Meiyappan’s hat-trick ball was a beauty, bowling Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka between bat and pad.
“Getting a hat-trick in a World Cup game, especially against a Test-playing nation in Sri Lanka, that is a really great feeling and it hasn’t sunk in yet,” Meiyappan said after the innings.
Meiyappan took 3-19 from four overs as Sri Lanka reached 8-152 from 20 overs.
Opener Pathum Nissanka starred with 74 from 60 balls, featuring six fours and two sixes and was named man of the match.
A brilliant diving catch by Basil Hameed dismissed Nissanka off the bowling of Zahoor Khan with one ball left in the innings.
The UAE are 0-2 and out of contention to make the Super 12 stage. They will end their tournament on Thursday against Namibia.
Hat-tricks at T20 World Cup
2007-Brett Lee, Australia vs. Bangladesh, Cape Town
2021-Curtis Campher, Ireland vs. Netherlands, Abu Dhabi
2021-Wanindu Hasaranga, Sri Lanka vs. South Africa, Sharjah
2021-Kagiso Rabada, South Africa vs. England, Sharjah
2022-Karthik Meiyappan, United Arab Emirates vs. Sri Lanka, Geelong