Nearly three years in the past, Karthik Meiyappan etched his title in the file books when he carried out a hat-trick for the UAE towards Sri Lanka in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
The leg-spinner, who has performed 31 ODIs and 15 T20Is for the UAE, has since taken a leap of religion, returning to Chennai final yr to pursue his profession and discover a place in the IPL.
On Sunday, the 24-year-old took that first step when he made his TNPL debut for Siechem Madurai Panthers towards Salem Spartans right here at the Sri Ramakrishna College floor.
“The quality of cricket and the standards are pretty high. Being a spinner in Tamil Nadu, it’s challenging considering how good the players are against spin. I am looking forward to that challenge. The TNPL is a great platform from which you can progress to the IPL, and as a leg-spinner, I fancy my chances. So that’s the reason I moved back,” defined Karthik.
Born in Chennai, he moved to the UAE at the age of seven, the place he started taking part in the recreation and went on to be a part of the under-19 facet after which progressed to the senior crew.
Recalling his second of glory, the 24-year-old stated: “Playing the World Cup itself was a great experience. Going into the Sri Lankan game, it’s extremely hard for you to dream of a hat-trick. It just happens by itself.”
“I felt I planned out the over well. I was going to back myself with the googly (for the hat-trick ball), like I always did. I still feel like he (Dasun Shanaka) picked it, but then it landed perfectly, came out well, out of the hands, it felt great.”
On his targets for the yr, Karthik says, “I want to put up maximum performances for the side and get wickets. After TNPL, I’m excited for my second season in the TNCA first division because I feel better than last year (he played for Alwarpet CC), which was challenging. I’m confident that if I put up a good performance this season, it’ll probably open the doors for me.”
Published – June 10, 2025 08:27 pm IST
