The ICC T20 World Cup 2022 is already producing some top moments in the group stage, as on Tuesday, UAE's Karthik Meiyappan grabbed a hat-trick against Sri Lanka, joining an 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.
Karthik Meiyappan is the first player from an associate team to take a hat-trick against a Test team in men's World Cups (T20Is or ODIs).
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket)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.
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)ALSO READ: ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2022: SURYAKUMAR YADAV TO DAVID MILLER - 5 BATTERS TO WATCH OUT
Rajapaksa
Asalanka
Shanaka
That is a quality hat-trick. Congratulations Karthik Meiyappan, something to cherish for lifetime 👏🏽 pic.twitter.com/sYB3nIe9I0
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.
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)
| Bowler | Team | Opponent | Edition | Venue | Victims |
| Brett Lee | Australia | Bangladesh | 2007 | Cape Town | Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, Alok Kapali |
| Curtis Campher | Ireland | Netherlands | 2021 | Abu Dhabi | CN Ackermann, RN ten Doeschate, SA Edwards, RE van der Merwe |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | Sri Lanka | South Africa | 2021 | Sharjah | Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma, Dwaine Pretorius |
| Kagiso Rabada | South Africa | England | 2021 | Sharjah | Chris Woakes, Eoin Morgan, Chris Jordan |
| Karthik Meiyappan | UAE | Sri Lanka | 2022 | Geelong | Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka |
HAT-TRICK BALL!
Amazing scenes at Kardinia Park as Karthik Meiyappan becomes the first UAE cricketer to take a Hat-Trick in a T20 International!
Unbelievable stuff! 🇦🇪 pic.twitter.com/RHNEYZy5hD