Wanindu Hasaranga scores a hat-trick in a losing cause against South Africa
Wanindu Hasaranga of Sri Lanka scored a hat-trick against South Africa in Saturday’s Super 12 match at the 2021 T20 World Cup in Sharjah. Hasaranga dismissed Proteas captain Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, and Dwaine Pretorius to put Sri Lanka in command before David Miller’s late heroics helped South Africa win by four wickets at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Hasaranga took his first wicket with the final delivery of his third over, removing Markram’s wickets at a crucial stage in the game.
He then returned to bowling from the opposite end of the pitch, capturing Bavuma’s wicket when the latter attempted to go large but was caught by Pathum Nissanka.
In the next delivery, Hasaranga completed his hat-trick by removing Pretorius, who was caught at long-on. It’s the first hat-trick of the Super 12 stage of the 2021 T20 World Cup, and only the third in the tournament’s history, after Brett Lee of Australia (2007) and Curtis Campher of Ireland (2021).
South Africa was reduced to 112/6 after losing three wickets, but David Miller and Kagiso Rabada grabbed control of the innings to secure victory.
Miller and Rabada both went unblemished with 23 and 13 points, respectively, to help their team win. Miller’s two sixes off Lahiru Kumara in the final over proved vital, allowing the Proteas to win by a single run.
South Africa bowled Sri Lanka out for 142 in 20 overs earlier in the day, with Tabraiz Shamsi and Pretorius each taking three wickets.
Pathum Nissanka top-scored for Sri Lanka with 72 runs, while Shamsi and Pretorius both finished with figures of 3/17.