Karthik Meiyappan gained significant attention during the previous T20 World Cup in Australia when he achieved a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in the initial stage of the tournament. Now, in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers, the 22-year-old found himself facing the same opponents as the UAE took on Sri Lanka in Harare.
However, this time around, Meiyappan faced criticism rather than praise. The UAE was faced with a daunting task of chasing down a massive target of 356 runs. By the 34.3 overs mark, they had stumbled to 170/7, leaving little hope for a realistic comeback.
Despite the challenging situation, the players had to approach the game seriously, considering the two available spots for the upcoming 50-over World Cup. Unfortunately, Meiyappan appeared careless when he attempted a single after Wanindu Hasaranga’s delivery was pushed between the cover and point regions, taking advantage of Kasun Rajitha’s misfield.
Meiyappan showed a lack of game awareness as he moved sluggishly, and Maheesh Theekshana seized the opportunity. Observing Meiyappan’s slow movement, Theekshana decided to aim a direct hit at the non-striker’s end, which resulted in a successful run-out.
Meiyappan failed to plant his bat and complete the run in time, and he didn’t even make an effort to cross the line, leading to a comical run-out incident.