Nuwan Thushara, the Sri Lankan right-arm pacer, achieved a remarkable hattrick during the third T20I clash between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on Saturday in Sylhet.
Thushara dismissed Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, and Mahmudullah Riyad in the fourth over with three consecutive deliveries, leaving Bangladesh in a precarious position as they chased a target of 175 runs to secure victory in the match and the series.
In the second ball of the fourth over, Thushara bowled a length delivery that swung in towards the left-handed Shanto. Attempting a straight drive, Shanto missed the ball, which swung past his outside edge and crashed into the stumps.
On the following delivery, Thushara delivered a full ball that was pitched in the middle and off the stump. Hridoy, aiming to play along the line, got beaten by the swing as the ball clipped his off stump.
In the next ball, Thushara produced a fullish delivery just in line with the off stump. Initially given out LBW, Mahmudullah opted for a review. The ball-tracking technology confirmed that it was clipping off stump, and the umpire's decision was upheld, sealing Thushara's hat-trick.
This marks the sixth hat-trick against Bangladesh in T20Is. Previous instances were achieved by Brett Lee (2007)—the first-ever hat-trick in T20Is—Lasith Malinga (2016–17), Deepak Chahar (2019–20), Nathan Ellis (2021), and Afghan pacer Karim Janat (2023).
Following Thushara’s feat, Bangladesh's middle order faltered, leaving them in a dire situation while chasing the challenging target of 175 runs. Bangladesh has never clinched a T20I series against Sri Lanka, and Thushara's hat-trick has likely prolonged their wait for a series victory against them.
