Australia pacer Pat Cummins grabbed the first hat-trick of the ongoing T20 World Cup during the team’s Super Eights match against Bangladesh here.
The 31-year-old removed experienced campaigner Mahmudullah and Mahedi Hasan off the last two deliveries of the 18th over and then returned to dismiss Towhid Hridoy with the first ball of the last over to claim the seventh hat-trick in T20I World Cups.
“I didn’t know I was on a hat-trick. I did the previous over, I saw it come up on the screen and by the time my next over came around I totally forgot about it,” Cummins said at the post-match press conference.
“So, I think Stoinis ran in from the deep, was cheering and I was like, oh yeah, forgot about that. So, yeah, nice one,” he added.
It was also the first hat-trick of Cummins’ career for Australia.
“I had a few (hat-tricks) in juniors but never for Australia. I think I got one in grade cricket, maybe fourth grade. And I think I got one in second 11 when I was 17.
“And I think the hat-trick ball was similar. It was the first ball of the last day when it was Joe Burns.
“And I went to bowl a slower ball and he ducked underneath it and it hit the bail on the full. So yeah, not too dissimilar to today’s,” he recalled.
The fast bowler, who has been enjoying a purple patch in international cricket over the past year, finished with figures of 3/29, as Australia defeated Bangladesh by 28 runs via the Duckworth Lewis method at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
“(Ashton) Agar and (Nathan) Ellis on the bench have T20 hat-tricks so good to join that club,” Cummins, who was adjudged the player of the match said.
“Pretty awesome to tick that off. Boys are welcoming me in the club. Good club to be part of,” he added.
The country’s Test and ODI captain thus joined Brett Lee, the only other Australian to take a T20 World Cup hat-trick, which also came against Bangladesh.
Lee was the first to claim a hat-trick in the marquee event way back in 2007 and the Australian remained the only one to achieve the feat until the 2021 edition when Ireland pacer Curtis Campher (2021), Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga (2021) and South African quick Kagisa Rabada joined the elusive list.
Other bowlers to claim a hat-trick in the T20 World Cup include UAE’s Karthik Meiyappan (2022) and Joshua Little (2022) of Ireland.
