The Hindu : Sport : Pathan pulls off a rare hat-trick

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Monday, Jan 30, 2006

Sport

Sport

Pathan pulls off a rare hat-trick

Special Correspondent

First to do it in the opening over in a Test

— PHOTO: S. SUBRAMANIUM

DREAM SPELL: Irfan Pathan is on cloud nine after pulling off a rare feat — a hat-trick in the opening over of a Test match — in the third Test against Pakistan in Karachi on Sunday.

CHENNAI: Left-arm medium pacer Irfan Pathan became the first man in the history of Test cricket to claim a hat-trick in the first over of an innings, at the National Stadium in Karachi on Sunday.

The 21-year-old dismissed opener Salman Butt, stand-in captain Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf on the first day of the third Test to reduce Pakistan to 0 for three, after Indian skipper Rahul Dravid elected to bowl.

Second Indian

Pathan is the second Indian after off-spinner Harbhajan Singh — who performed the feat against Australia at Kolkata in 2001— to take a Test hat-trick. He finished with 5 for 61 as India failed to capitalise on its start and allowed Pakistan, which was struggling at 39 for 6 at one stage, to make 245.

Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal fought back with a magnificent 113 off 148 balls with 18 fours to rescue his side. Akmal shared crucial partnerships of 115 (seventh wicket) and 82 (eighth wicket) with Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Akhtar respectively to give Pakistan's total a measure of respectability.

In reply, India lost Dravid, Laxman, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar, before Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh ensured their side suffered no further setbacks. The tourists closed on 74 for 4 from 16 overs.

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