Sri Lanka thrashed UAE by 79 runs in their second match of the opening leg of the T20 World Cup here on Tuesday, recovering from a shocking defeat in the opening leg of the T20 World Cup to Namibia. Opener Pathum Nisanka’s attacking 60-ball 74 helped Sri Lanka bundle out UAE’s innings for 73 runs in 17.1 overs after scoring 152 for eight. Nisanka hit six fours and two sixes in his innings.
Apart from Nisanka, only Dhananjay de Silva (33) and Kushal Mendis (18) could score runs in double figures. After being invited to bat first, Sri Lanka were once in a good position at 92 for two, but leg-spinner Karthik Meiyappan (3 for 19) took a hat-trick in the 15th over of the match to take the team’s score to 117 for five. done.
He completed the hat-trick by taking the wickets of Bhanuka Rajapakse (5), Charit Aslanka (nil) and captain Dasun Shanaka (nil). Between the fall of wickets from one end, Nisanka kept the Sri Lanka scoreboard moving as the team crossed the 150-run mark. Sri Lankan fast bowler Dushmanta Chamira (3 for 15) showed the way to the pavilion in the opening overs by Mohammad Wasim, Aryan Lakra and captain Chundangapoyal Rizwani.
After which the team came under pressure and kept losing wickets at frequent intervals. The entire UAE team was dismissed for 73 runs in 17.1 overs. Ayan Afzal Khan was the top scorer of the team. He scored 19 runs. Apart from Chamira, leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga took three wickets for eight runs and Mahesh Thikshana took two wickets for 15 runs. Sri Lanka will face the Netherlands in the next match on Thursday. The team has to win this match to qualify for the main stage.
