United Arab Emirates leg-spinner Karthik Meiyappan claims T20 World Cup hat-trick

Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka were left stunned after a United Arab Emirates leg-spinner rolled through their middle order on Tuesday.

Karthik Meiyappan celebrates his hat-trick. Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP

United Arab Emirates leg-spinner Karthik Meiyappan has become just the fifth cricketer to take a hat-trick in Men’s T20 World Cup history, achieving the rare feat against Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka on Tuesday evening.

The Sri Lankans were seemingly cruising at 2/117 in the group stage contest at Geelong’s Kardinia Park before the 22-year-old tweaker struck three times in the 15th over.

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Meiyappan first removed left-handed batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa for 5 (8) with a full delivery outside off stump, that was slapped towards the boundary rider at deep cover.

The tweaker then dismissed Sri Lankan No. 5 Charith Asalanka for a golden duck with a perfectly-executed wrong-un that was feathered behind to wicketkeeper Vriitya Aravind.

But Meiyappan saved the best for last.

The hat-trick delivery, another beautiful wrong-un, spun between the bat and pad of Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka and crashed into the top of middle stump.

Meiyappan, who became the first UAE cricketer to take a hat-trick at international level, was mobbed by his ecstatic teammates.

“He was bowling well right through, the wrong-un none of the batters picked,” former Sri Lankan cricketer Russell Arnold said.

“It was the Sri Lankan middle-order, so these are good batters, not the tail … and he just bamboozled them. It was a really, really good spell that restricted Sri Lanka to 150 rather than what could have been 180.”

The young wrist-spinner finished with 3/19 from his four overs as Sri Lanka registered 8/152 in the first innings.

The boy from Chennai, playing for Uae, scripts history in Geelong by taking the hat-trick in the T20 World Cup, remember the name, he is just 22-years-old - Take a bow, Karthik Meiyappan. pic.twitter.com/IJ9JRJQmI7

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 18, 2022

Well done Karthik Meiyappan. Sometimes you get hat-tricks with batters slogging three into the deep. This was a properly earned hat-trick.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 18, 2022

Meiyappan, who was born in Chennai, has represented the UAE in eight ODIs and 12 T20Is since making his international debut in 2019.

He has taken 21 T20I wickets at 14.33 with an impressive strike rate of 12.5.

Meiyappan joins Australia’s Brett Lee, Ireland’s Curtis Campher, Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada on an illustrious list of cricketers with a T20 World Cup hat-trick.

He also becomes the first Associate nation cricketer to take a hat-trick against a full-member team in men’s internationals.

“It still hasn’t sunk in, the fact I got a hat-trick in a T20 World Cup and the first (UAE) bowler to do so. It really is a proud moment, amazing,” Meiyappan said after the match.

“But it would have been much sweeter, much better if we had won the game tonight.

“Obviously making the team to be in the World Cup was an achievement in itself, but the main goal was to play the Super 12s. As of now I think, going forward for us, it would be the 2023 World Cup in India. That’s what we’ll be prepping up for.”

Karthik Meiyappan celebrates a wicket with his teammates. Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP

Sri Lanka ultimately claimed a comprehensive 79-run victory, with paceman Dushmantha Chameera and spinner Hasaranga each snaring three wickets during the run chase.

Aayan Afzal Khan top-scored for the UAE with 19 (21) as the Associate nation was toppled for 73 in the 18th over.

Sri Lanka will next face the Netherlands in Geelong on Thursday at 3pm AEDT, while the UAE will take on Namibia at the same venue later that day.

Originally published as United Arab Emirates leg-spinner Karthik Meiyappan claims T20 World Cup hat-trick