Noman Ali entered his name in history books on Saturday, January 25, by becoming the first Pakistani spinner to take a hat trick in Test cricket. The 38-year-old spinner achieved the feat during Day 1’s play of the ongoing second Test between Pakistan and West Indies at Multan Cricket Stadium. Noman opened his wicket account by trapping West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite in front of the wickets on the second ball of the 10th over, and then on the first three balls of the 12th over, he removed Justin Greaves, Tevin Imlach, and Kevin Sinclair to achieve a big feat.
While Greaves was caught by Babar Azam in the second slip for 1 run from three balls, wicketkeeper-batter Imlach was out lbw for a golden duck, and Babar completed Sinclair’s catch on the first ball he faced.
Wasim Akram was the first Pakistani bowler to take a hat trick in Test cricket. He achieved the feat in March 1999 during the Test match played against Sri Lanka at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. In the next match, which was played in Dhaka from March 12-15, 1999, he once again took a hat trick against Sri Lanka.
All-rounder Abdul Razzaq dismissed three batters in three balls during Pakistan’s Test match played against Sri Lanka at Galle in June 2000. Pacer Mohammad Sami joined the elite list of Pakistani players to take a Test hat trick in March 2002 during the Asian Test Championship final played against Sri Lanka in Lahore.
The last Pakistani bowler to take a hat trick in Test cricket before Noman was fast bowler Naseem Shah. Naseem achieved the feat during the Pakistan-Bangladesh Test match played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in February 2020.
