T20 World Cup 2022: UAE bowler Karthik Meiyappan has registered his name into the history books as the spinner scalped the first hat-trick of the T20 World Cup 2022 in a round 1 game against Sri Lanka. Meiyappan sent back Lankan batters- Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Charith Asalanka and Dasun Shanaka back to the hut the 15th over.
The Sri Lankan side were at 114/ 2 after 14 overs and were cruising for a strong finish but Meiyappan showed brilliance in the middle stage to apply some breaks on the Lankan batting lineup. He first sent Bhanuka Rajapaksa back as he was caught out by the deep cover when he took the aerial route. Left-handed middle-order batter Charith Asalanka came out next and was soon sent back when Meiyappan bowled a googly to dismiss him. Sri Lanka's captain Dasun Shanaka was next to play and he had to survive the hat-trick ball. However, he too was sent back on the golden duck as Meiyappan cleaned the Lankan skipper.
The 22-year-old Meiyappan has become the fifth player to grab a hat trick in T20 World Cup. Australia's Brett Lee was the first player in the history of the T20 World Cup to scalp a hat trick. The right-arm quick took three in three in the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in 2007. After this, three players took the hat trick in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Ireland's Curtis Campher took a double hat-trick in the 2021 World cup as he took four in four wickets. Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga and South Africa's Kagiso Rabada are the other two bowled, who have achieved the feat in the 2021 edition of the World Cup.
In the end, Sri Lanka managed to score 152 in the 20 overs on the back of a 74-run knock by Pathum Nissanka. Coming out to chase, UAE got wrapped up at just 73, giving the Lankan side a 79-run big win. They keep their Super 12 hopes alive and will now face the Netherlands in their final game on October 20.
