New Delhi:
Mohammed Shami created history as he became the second Indian after Chetan Sharma to take a hat-trick in the ICC Cricket World Cup. Shami's feat helped India win a tense encounter against Afghanistan by 11 runs in Southampton on Saturday as they continued their unbeaten run in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Sharma had achieved the feat against New Zealand in the game against New Zealand in Nagpur and in that game, he had gotten rid of all the batsmen by bowling them. Shami was faced with a similar situation when Afghanistan were pushing for an unlikely win.
Shami had provided India with a breakthrough early in the chase as he got rid of Hazratullah Zazai for 10 as he cleaned him up with a full ball bowled from round the wicket. However, Afghanistan refused to give up and contributions from Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi kept Afghanistan in the hunt. Mohammad Nabi, though, was the difference maker and his aggressive as well as his calm batting got Afghanistan to 16 runs in the last over.
Shami got off to a bad start as Nabi blasted a four down the ground for a boundary as Afghanistan needed 12 off 5. A single was declined off the fourth ball. With 12 needed off four balls, Nabi thumped a full ball down long on but this time Hardik Pandya ran to his left and took a great catch as Afghanistan needed 12 off three balls. Aftab Alam came in but he was greeted by a reverse-swinging yorker from Shami and he was bowled. Mujeeb Ur Rahman came out to face the music but Shami promptly delivered the yorker and Mujeeb missed. Shami joined the list of illustrious people who had taken a hat-trick in World Cups.
Sharma's victims were Ken Rutherford, Ian Smith and Ewen Chatfield, with all three clean bowled by Sharma and he sealed the hat-trick by uprooting Chatfield's leg stump. With Sharma taking the first-ever hat-trick, Shami joined the likes of Saqlain Mushtaq, Chaminda Vaas, Brett Lee, Lasith Malinga (twice), Kemar Roach, Steven Finn and JP Duminy. Malinga is the only bowler to take the feat twice, with his effort in 2007 against South Africa resulting in an incredible four wickets in four balls.
Malinga took a hat-trick against Kenya in the 2011 World Cup while Saqlain and Duminy are the only spinners to take the hat-trick, having achieved the feat against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka in 1999 and 2015 respectively.
