Fahim Ashraf became the first Pakistani bowler to pick up a hattrick in the shortest version of the game. Ashraf achieved this feat in the second T20I against Sri Lanka of the three-T20I series. The right-arm fast bowler caused a major batting collapse in the middle-lower order of Sri Lanka and helped his side to restrict them to a score of 124 for 9 in 20 overs. The 23-year-old took these three wickets in the last over of his spell, the 19th over of Sri Lanka’s innings.
Ashraf’s first wicket was Isuru Udana. The right-handed batsman played a mistimed pull shot which was caught by Hasan Ali at the short fine leg. Ali leaped into the air and took a stunner which might go down as the best catch of the T20I series. It was Ali’s brilliance that started the batting collapse.
The second wicket for Ashraf was that of Mahela Udawatte. The left-handed batsman did not look to nudge the ball around for a single. He went for a big shot over covers but ended up slicing square of the wicket. Babar Azam ran towards his right and caught the ball in the deep helping Ashraf taking his second wicket. Udawatte got out for a golden duck.
Here’s the video of the hat-trick –
Video: @iFaheemAshraf‘s hat-trick, The first Pakistani to take hat-trick in T20Is. #PakvSL #PakvsSLpic.twitter.com/m19GnDuMQe
— Usman Khan Hasrat (@UsmanKhanUSK) October 27, 2017
HAT-TRICK Celebration @FaheemAshraf41 #PakvSL #PakvsSL
— Usman Khan Hasrat (@UsmanKhanUSK) October 27, 2017
Danny went from holy sh** to holy moly real quick. pic.twitter.com/IolTPqk7WF
— Ali. (@iPakistani10) October 27, 2017
The third wicket was of Dasun Shanaka who was witnessing the fall of wickets from the non-striker end. Shanaka did not hold back on the hat-trick ball. He played completely down the wrong line, playing almost across the line. Ashraf trapped him in front and appealed for leg-before-wicket. The Umpire did not hesitate in raising his finger and with Shanaka’s wicket Ashraf created history by becoming the first Pakistani bowler to pick a hat-trick in T20Is.
Apart from being the Pakistani to pick a hat-trick in T20Is, Ashraf is the sixth bowler overall. Before him, Brett Lee (2007), Jacob Oram (2009), Tim Southee (2010), Thisara Perera (2016), Lasith Malinga (2017) are the other bowlers who have recorded a hat-trick in the shortest format of the game.
