IPL Star Who Smashed Arjun Tendulkar Makes Debut for UAE Debut

Harpreet Singh Bhatia, a former captain and one of the primary batters for Chattisgarh, recently made his international debut for the United Arab Emirates on April 20. He played his maiden international game for the team during the first T20I of the Nepal Tri-Nation Series in Kirtipur, which has one of the most beautiful cricket stadiums in the world.

He is a veteran of the Indian domestic circuit and is one of the five cricketers who were recently granted UAE citizenship through naturalization. This grant allowed him to represent the country immediately. He is currently competing in the bilateral T20I series, which precedes a larger ODI Tri-Nation series in Nepal, which will involve Nepal, Oman, and the UAE, and is slated for April 25 to May 5, 2026.

All About Harpreet Singh Bhatia UAE Debut

Harpreet Singh Bhatia UAE debut was at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, which was interrupted because of rain. Nepal faced obstruction after reaching 122-8 in 18.5 overs, which was followed by a DLS method, revising the target for the UAE to 78 runs in 10 overs.

During the Nepal vs UAE 1st T20I, Bhatia came to bat at number 4 at the time of chasing, where he scored 2 runs off 7 balls. He was caught by Kushal Malla, off the bowling of Sandeep Lamichhane. Even though he had a quiet outing with the bat, he did produce a significant contribution on the field by running out Nepal’s opening batter, Kushal Bhurtel.

In the end, the UAE secured a victory by 6 wickets via the DLS method. This debut marked a new chapter for the 34-year-old, who has also previously played for multiple IPL franchises, including the Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Pune Warriors India.

His second appearance in the series is likely to be on April 21. Harpreet Singh Bhatia was once among the best batsmen in India, however, he shifted to the UAE is to pursue international cricket opportunities. Along with him, another fellow Indian domestic veteran, Akshdeep Nath, has also received citizenship for the UAE and has become eligible to play for the national team immediately.

Harpreet Singh Bhatia Smashed Arjun Tendulkar in IPL

Left-handed batter Harpreet Singh Bhatia has smashed Arjun Tendulkar in the IPL before. While playing for Punjab Kings in the IPL, Bhatia, along with Sam Curran took Tendulkar for 31 runs in an over against Mumbai Indians.

Bhatia struck three consecutive boundaries off Arjun in this over. It created an infamous record for Arjun Tendulkar as he conceded the second most runs by an MI bowler at that time. Despite doing well in this match, Harpreet didn't have a prolonged IPL career.