From UAE cap to TNPL dreams: Karthik Meiyappan’s return home

Playing international cricket is a distant dream for many. Featuring in a World Cup is even rarer. Taking a hat-trick in one? Almost unthinkable. But Karthik Meiyappan has lived it.

At 22, the UAE leg-spinner etched his name into cricketing history with a hat-trick against Sri Lanka during the 2022 T20 World Cup in Geelong — barely 100 kilometres from the birthplace of his idol, Shane Warne.

Two-and-a-half years later, Karthik is back in Tamil Nadu, where his journey began, turning out for the Siechem Madurai Panthers in the 2025 Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL).

“Playing the World Cup itself was a great experience. It’s extremely hard to dream about a hat-trick. You can dream about a four-wicket haul or a good spell but a hat-trick just happens by itself. I planned the over really well, the hat-trick was a byproduct of that,” recalled Karthik in a conversation with Sportstar.

Now 24, Karthik has already played 31 ODIs and 15 T20Is for the UAE. His family moved to the Emirates when he was seven, and cricket soon replaced the chessboard in his new home.

“I made the move to Dubai and chess wasn’t a big thing over there, that’s how I picked up cricket. And, when I was about 12 or 13, that’s when I took it up professionally,” he said.

“I started off as a fast bowler, but I didn’t have the build. My father was a leggie so I switched,” he added.

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After moving between Abu Dhabi and Dubai in his early years, he joined the Desert Cubs Academy and was mentored by coach Aruna Bandaranayake — his gateway into age-group cricket and eventually the national team.

“Cricket over there is great. The quality of the players who come through over there, they play first class and they move out and then they try to make a living,” he explained.

His decision to return to Tamil Nadu wasn’t impulsive. The TNPL had been on his radar for years.

“I was playing Under-19s for UAE when I was about to move back to Chennai for my higher studies and cricket, but then I made my men’s debut and there was an U-19 World Cup so I stayed back,” said Karthik.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a gamble. It’s more of the belief that I have in my game. I am grateful that I am getting to play this tournament and obviously we know what kind of a platform this is for players to go through from Tamil Nadu and play in the IPL, so that’s the main goal for me coming back here.”

This isn’t Karthik’s first taste of franchise cricket either. He’s been part of the Desert Vipers and Sharjah Warriors in the ILT20, and the Vancouver Knights in the Global T20 Canada, where he shared dressing rooms with some of the format’s top names.

“In ILT20 I was with Wanindu Hasaranga. He’s someone that I can relate to because I feel like my bowling is kind of similar to him. He’s been kind enough to give his inputs. And, Imran Tahir, I’ve had chats with him as well,” the Panthers bowler said.

He knows that leg-spinners have little margin for error in the TNPL.

“Being a leg-spinner in TNPL or GT20 or a bowler in general in T20 is pretty challenging because the circumference of the ground is pretty small and the crosswinds are pretty strong.

“Even the half hits go for a six. If you can pull off a great spell over here, you’ve done really well. The batters also really good players of spin,” he added.

While white-ball cricket shaped him, Karthik is now investing in red-ball skills in Tamil Nadu. He played three games in the TNCA first division for Alwarpet CC last year and is still adjusting to its demands.

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“In Dubai, we predominantly play white ball. Coming here, red-ball was a big challenge for me. But that’s the purest form of the game, right? I feel like there’s a lot of things that I have to learn and adjust,” he said.

“A lot of the players say that if you bowl really well with red, then white becomes extremely easy for you. But, the fact that I grew up with white and come into red, it’s a completely different dimension for me,” he explained.

“I grew up playing with the Kookaburra as well. SG is something new and it feels completely different. I’ve been having a chat with a lot of the players who play with SG over here just to get an insight into what they do,” he added.

Having served as a net bowler for multiple IPL teams like Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad and with international experience already under his belt, Karthik is betting on the TNPL and red-ball cricket to open doors in the Indian domestic circuit.

“I can only put my best foot forward and hope for the best. I’m 100% sure if I do put up a good performance in the season, it’ll probably open the doors for me. All the experience will come into play at some point, and I’m looking forward to it,” he said.