Chennai-born Ex-RCB spinner Karthik Meiyappan takes 1st hat-trick of T20 WC against Sri Lanka
The 6th match of the T20 World Cup 2022 between Sri Lanka and UAE is underway at the Simonds Stadium, Geelong. After winning the toss, the UAE chose to bowl first. Sri Lanka looked good for most of the first innings until the 15th over of the first innings.
It was the over bowled by UAE legbreak bowler Karthik Meiyappan and he has registered his name, which many bowlers in the world of cricket are unable to do. The 22-year-old took the first hat-trick of the T20 World Cup 2022.
He helped his team to restrict the Asia Cup 2022 winners, Sri Lanka, to 152/8 in their first innings. Sri Lanka were crusing to a big score when Meiyappan came out to bowl his third over. But he put the breaks on the scoring rate and dismissed Bhanuka Rajapaksa (5), Charith Asalanka (0) and Dasun Shanaka (0) on three consecutive balls.
He dismissed Rajapaksa off the fourth ball of the innings, who tried to hit him for six at the long-off boundary. Then on the next delivery he got out Asalanka for a golden duck by bowling a googly, which took the edge and the keeper caught the ball. To complete his hat-trick, he dismissed the Sri Lankan skipper by bowling yet another googly.
#PAKvIND
— ABBAS KHAN ADILL (@76z80) October 18, 2022
Karthik Meiyappan snares UAE’s first hat-trick in Men’s T20Is #T20WorldCup #CricketReels #Cricket pic.twitter.com/k9AooBSJAN
The young leg-spinner has played 13 T20Is for UAE in his short career and has taken 21 wickets so far. Karthik was born in Chennai, and we know that this place has given many good spinners to cricket, and the 22-year-old is certainly among them.
On the other hand, not many would have known that the leg-spinner has also linked up with Royal Challengers Banglaore and has joined RCB in the 2020 season as a net bowler. And with such a good performance on a big stage, there are chances that either RCB or CSK will go for him in the upcoming IPL mini-auction in December.