Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan Mahmud made history on Sunday by becoming the country’s first fast bowler to take a hat-trick in Test cricket. He achieved the feat on the third day of the one-off Test against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi.
The 26-year-old right-arm pacer completed his hat-trick during Afghanistan’s first innings, dismissing three batters in the same over. Mahmud bowled Ismat Alam in the 83rd over before having the incoming batter, Qais Ahmad, caught behind by wicketkeeper Litton Das on the next delivery.
He then appealed for an LBW decision against Zia-ur-Rehman on the fifth ball of the over, but the umpire initially turned down the appeal. Bangladesh reviewed the decision, and the Decision Review System (DRS) showed that the ball was hitting the off stump, prompting the umpire to overturn his original decision and complete Mahmud’s hat-trick.
Mahmud became the third Bangladesh bowler overall to take a hat-trick in Test cricket. Before him, spinner Alok Kapali achieved the feat against Pakistan in Peshawar in 2003, while Sohag Gazi took a hat-trick against New Zealand in Chattogram in 2013. The fast bowler finished Afghanistan’s first innings with figures of five wickets for 55 runs as Bangladesh dismissed the opposition for 240, securing a 106-run first-innings lead.
Mahmud has also set a national record for the fastest Bangladeshi bowler to reach 50 Test wickets in terms of deliveries bowled. He reached the milestone in 2,424 balls, surpassing the previous record held by Shahadat Hossain, who took 2,991 deliveries to claim his first 50 Test wickets. In terms of matches played, Mahmud has also become the fastest Bangladeshi fast bowler to reach 50 Test wickets.