Sri Lankan sprinter Nuwan Untilhara scripted the story on Saturday (March 9). The right-arm fast bowler became the fifth player from the island nation to achieve the hat-trick in the history of T20 Internationals.
Nuwan Untilhara achieved the feat in the ongoing third game of the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh. The match between the two teams will take place at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet and so far it is all about the visitors.
After Sri Lanka scored a total of 174 runs, Nuwan Untilhara made sure to put Bangladesh under immense pressure and shine with the ball. He did the massacre with the ball early in the powerplay and made a mockery of the opposition’s batting line-up, picking wickets in an instant.
Nuwan Untilhara did his best in the fourth over. He removed Najmul Hossain Shanto with a screamer on the second ball. The fast bowler bowled a long ball and the ball moved a little inside and stayed low. The batsman was trapped in an awkward position and lost pace when the ball hit the stumps.
On the next ball, Nuwan Untilhara took another jaffa and rattled Towhid Hridoy’s stumps. The pacer bowled a good length ball at good pace in line with the stumps. The ball sailed past the batsman’s defense and hit the off stump.
If this was not enough, Nuwan Untilhara then, on the fourth ball of the over, trapped Mahmudullah lbw. He threw a fireball that sailed away from center to square the batter. Although the batsman opted for DRS, the decision went in favor of the pacer and he bagged a hat-trick. Look here:
WE MAKE A HAT TRICK!#BANvSL #SLvBAN pic.twitter.com/cRVHgu1RBP
—Abdullah Neaz (@Neaz__Abdullah) March 9, 2024
Nuwan Untilhara’s over changed the game for Sri Lanka as he not only bagged a hat-trick but also bowled a maiden and rattled the opposition. He became the fifth island bowler to pick three wickets in three balls in T20Is.
Nuwan Untilhara removes Soumya Sarkar to pick his fourth wicket
Nuwan Untilhara has been all over the Bangladesh team in the ongoing T20I. After achieving the hat-trick, he made sure to pick another wicket in the next game he bowled and grabbed his fourth wicket of the day to put the opposition at a disadvantage.
Nuwan Untilhara bowled a 138.2 kmph ball attacking the off stump. The ball went in and Soumya Sarkar missed and hit the stumps. The batsman managed only 11 runs off 10 balls and with his wicket, Bangladesh reeled. 24/5.
HAT-TRICKS FOR SRI LANKA IN MEN’S T20I
• Thisara Perera vs India in Ranchi, 2016
• Lasith Malinga vs Bangladesh in Colombo, 2017
• Lasith Malinga vs New Zealand in Pallekele, 2019
• Akila Dananjaya against West Indies in Antigua, 2021
• Wanindu Hasaranga vs South Africa in Sharjah, 2021
• Nuwan Untilahara vs Bangladesh in Sylhet, 2024