Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah, center, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Bangladesh batsman Saif Hassan during the third day of their 1st test cricket match at Rawalpindi cricket stadium in Rawalpindi
Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah, 16, on Sunday become the youngest bowler ever to take a Test hat-trick and the first from his nation since Mohammed Sami in 2002. He achieved the feat on the third evening of the opening Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.
The teenage fast bowler gave Pakistan an early breakthrough on the third day after Haris Sohail's half-century helped Pakistan amass a 212-run lead against Bangladesh. The 16-year-old, who made headlines with his fiery deliveries against Australia last November, cleaned bowled debutant Saif Hassan (16) off a delivery that stayed low as Bangladesh went 51 for 1 at tea on day 3.
On returning for his second spell, he dismissed Najmul Hossain Shanto on 38 with a length ball that struck plumb on his pads in line with the leg stump. And then got rid of nightwatchman Taijul Islam for a duck with an angled in fullish delivery that struck his pads in front of middle and leg. In the third and final delivery of the 41st over of the innings, Naseem lured Mahmudullah in playing the cover drive with a widish full ball as Sohail snapped it beautifully at first slip.
Only four other Pakistani bowlers have taken a Test hat-trick before Naseem - two for Wasim Akram and one apiece by Abdul Razzaq and Sami.
Hat-trick for Pakistan in Tests :
Wasim Akram v SL, Lahore 1998-99
Wasim Akram v SL, Dhaka 1998-99
Abdul Razzaq v SL, Galle 1999-00
Mohammad Sami v SL,Lahore 2001-02
Naseem Shah v BAN, Rawalpindi 2020
Earlier in the day, Haris' counter-attacking half-century helped Pakistan to stretch the lead over 200 runs after the team resumed innings from its overnight score of 342 for three. The three seamers -- Abu Jayed (3-86), Rubel Hossain (3-113) and Ebadot Hossain (1-97) -- bowled with much more discipline with the second new ball as Pakistan lower-order crumbled on day 3.
