Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva was on fire against South Africa, picking a hat-trick for his side in Sharjah in the 2021 men’s T20 World Cup.
It is only the third hat-trick in the history of the tournament after Australia’s Brett Lee (2007) and Ireland’s Curtis Campher (2021). Hasaranga became the fourth bowler from Sri Lanka after Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga (did it twice), and Akila Dananjaya to pick up a hat-trick in T20Is.
Hasaranga finished the match against South Africa with figures of 3/20 from 4 overs.
Hasaranga appealed for a fourth wicket off as many deliveries when he hit Kagiso Rabada on the pads, but the review did not work out in Sri Lanka’s favour.
Hasaranga, a leg spinner, dismissed Aiden Markram first to end the 15th over, going through his defenses with ease.
The leg spinner then came back into the attack in the 18th over and started off with the wicket of Temba Bavuma for 46 before completing his hat-trick with the dismissal of Dwaine Pretorius for a first ball duck.
At the time SA were 112/6 and staring at a defeat in a contest where they needed to chase down 143 runs.
However a couple of big sixes under pressure in the final over from David Miller was instrumental in taking South Africa over the line by 4 wickets.
Rabada finished the game with a boundary with one more delivery to spare for the Proteas.
Hasaranga's hat-trick was the second of the ongoing edition after Campher, the Ireland pacer, grabbed four wickets in as many deliveries against the Netherlands in a Round 1 match at Abu Dhabi.
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