ICC T20 World Cup 2022: UAE's Karthik Meiyappan bags hat-trick against Sri Lanka, joins elite list

The 2022 ICC T20 World Cup in Australia is already creating top moments daily with upsets and shockers. The same was the case on Tuesday during the Group A tie between Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Simonds Stadium in Geelong. The latter's leg-spinner Karthik Meiyappan nabbed a hat-trick. As a result, he joined a select but elite list of bowlers to have done the same on the big stage. He became the fifth bowler to do the same in the tournament to date after Brett Lee (2007), Curtis Campher (2021), Wanindu Hasaranga (2021) and Kagiso Rabada (2021). Also, he became the first from an associate nation to do so.

However, despite his hat-trick, it appears to be an uphill task for UAE, as Lanka has posted a par total of 152/8, thanks to opener Pathum Nissanka's effective knock of 74, aided by top order's Dhananjaya de Silva (33). Meiyappan struck in the 15th over, at 117, when he dismissed Bhanuka Rajapaksa (5) as the third Lankan wicket to fall after being caught by Basil Hameed.

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In the following delivery, Meiyappan removed Charith Asalanka (0) after being caught behind by wicketkeeper Vriitya Aravind, while the subsequent delivery saw skipper Dasun Shanaka (0) being castled by the leg-spinner. Barring the Lankan top order, none of its other batters entered the double figures, while Meiyappan held three and was also duly economical for the UAE.