Sri Lanka stay alive

Karthik Meiyappan lit up the Twenty20 World Cup with a hattrick Tuesday but it was in vain as Sri Lanka crushed the United Arab Emirates to get their campaign back on track, while the Netherlands toppled Namibia.

The Asian champions were stunned by Namibia in the tournament's opening game on Sunday, a crushing 55-run defeat that left no room for error against the UAE.

They responded by bowling out the UAE for 73 for a convincing 79-run victory, but not before some drama.

Sri Lanka were cruising at 117-2 in Geelong when spin bowler Meiyappan derailed their plans in the 15th over, removing Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Charith Asalanka and skipper Dasun Shanaka in successive balls.

It was only the fifth hattrick at a T20 World Cup, and the first-ever for the UAE in any T20 international.

Shanaka's team recovered to post 152-8 with Pathum Nissanka making a gritty 74 and Meiyappan ending with 3-19.

"Really disappointed with the way we ended the innings (with the bat). We could have scored 180-190," said Shanaka. "But it was important to get a win, we focused on a win only. He (Nissanka) was outstanding."

Earlier, Bas de Leede took two wickets and made an unbeaten 30 as the Netherlands took a giant step towards the Super 12 stage with a tense five-wicket victory over giant-killing Namibia.

It left Group A finely poised heading into the third and final matches on Thursday, where net run rate could prove decisive.

Namibia were restricted to 121-6, with the Dutch using seven different bowlers to put the clamps on.

The Europeans, boosted by former South Africa and India coach Gary Kirsten on their staff, were cruising at 91-1 in the 14th over in reply before Namibia took four late wickets to set up a nervous finale.

The Netherlands needed six runs off the last over, with De Leede the hero, hitting a boundary and then scoring two to secure the win with three balls left.