UAE’s Karthik Meiyappan bags the first hat-trick of T20 World Cup 2022

UAE leg-spinner Karthik Meiyappan bagged the first hat-trick of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022 - against Sri Lanka in Geelong - on Tuesday, October 18.
 By CX Staff Writer Updated: Oct 18, 2022, 15:34 IST
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Karthik Meiyappan returned 3/19 from his four overs.

In a brilliant spell of leg-spin bowling, UAE’s Karthik Meiyappan stalled Sri Lanka’s innings with a brilliant hat-trick in the fifth Round 1 match of the T20 World Cup 2022 in Geelong on Tuesday, October 18. Meiyappan struck the triple blows in the 15th over of the innings, dismissing Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Charith Asalanka and Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka on the last three balls of the over to register the first hat-trick of the competition.

Rajapaksha mistimed a loft straight through to Kashif Daud at deep cover, while Asalanka failed to read a google to find an outside edge through to the wicketkeeper. Shanaka too, failed to read the wrong one, with a good-length ball breaching his defence through the bat and pad to rattle the stumps. 

Meiyappan joined an elite list of bowlers to bag a hat-trick at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, becoming the fifth to the milestone after Brett Lee (2007), Curtis Campher (2021), Hasaranga (2021) and Kagiso Rabada (2021), with Campher having bagged four wickets in four balls in a unique feat against the Netherlands last year.

Aayan Afzal dismissed Wanindu Hasaranga in the next over as Sri Lanka stumbled from 117/2 to 120/6 within a space of seven balls.

Watch: UAE’s Karthik Meiyappan bags the first hat-trick at T20 World Cup 2022

Sri Lanka were limited to 152/8 after being put into bat, with opener Pathum Nissanka leading the way with a well-compiled 74 off 60. The right-hander struck six fours and two sixes in an innings that was brought about to an end by a brilliant catch by Basil Hameed in the final over of the innings.

"Definitely hasn't (sunk in)," said Meiyappan at the innings break. "Getting a hat-trick in a World Cup game against Sri Lanka. Against the leftie I wanted to take it away from him. Against Shanaka, that was a special ball for me to get him bowled between bat and pad. There was not so much purchase off the wicket, but it was important for me to bowl wicket to wicket. Will be the sweetest thing possible if the batters get us over the line."

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