Karthik Meiyappan bagged the hat-trick against Sri Lanka on October 18.
It all began when Meiyappan removed Bhanuka Rajapaksa on the fourth delivery of the 15th over, caught at deep extra cover. He followed it with the dismissal of Charith Asalanka, caught behind and then cleaned up Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka on the last ball of that over to complete his hat-trick.
Meiyappa, who returned with figures of 3 for 19 from his four overs, became only the fifth bowler after Brett Lee (2007), Curtis Campher (2021), Wanindu Hasaranga (2021), and Kagiso Rabada (2021) to secure hat-tricks at the T20 World Cup.
WATCH – Karthik Meiyappan bags first hat-trick of the ongoing T20 World Cup against Sri Lanka
While the Chennai-born Karthik Meiyappan was disappointed that his team was on the losing side, he was still proud of his effort.
"It still hasn't sunk in, the fact that I've got a hat-trick in a T20 World Cup, and to become the fifth bowler to do so," Karthik said after the match.
"It is really a proud moment and feels amazing. But, like I said, it would have been much greater and much better for me if we had won the game tonight," he added.
Notably, Sri Lanka bundled out UAE for a paltry 73 after posting 152/8 on the board in the qualifying round match.
Karthik Meiyappan then detailed his planning to dismiss the three Sri Lankan batters on successive deliveries.
"First up against Rajapaksa, the leg side was the long boundary for him," he stated. "I thought he would take me down the deck as I think he was 5 or something that and… I tried to push it away bowling a wrong'un and he tried to go over covers but he sliced it.
"When Asalanka walked in, that was a no-brainer for me: I was going to bowl a wrong'un straight up and Vriitya [Aravind, the wicketkeeper] took an amazing catch.
"And then Dasun walked in, again I was just going through my motions being the hat-trick, but all I wanted to do was bowl on the stumps and whatever happens after that it is out of my hands. But, again, I just bowled a wrong'un and I think he picked it as a leggie."
During the second half of IPL 2021 in UAE, Karthik Meiyappan was one of the net bowlers at the Chennai Super Kings.
When asked if CSK might call him again and this time more than just as a net bowler, Karthik replied with a smile: "That is something I don't know about. But I hope they do."
(The Telegraph inputs)