Chahar shatters T20 bowling record with 6 wickets for 7 runs, including a hat-trick
Nagpur: Pacer Deepak Chahar took a sensational six-wicket haul, including a hat-trick after entertaining half-centuries from Shreyas Iyer and K L Rahul, as India defeated a self-destructing Bangladesh by 30 runs in the third and final T20 International to win the series 2-1, here on Sunday.
The 27-year-old Rajasthan seamer bagged 6 wickets for just 7 runs, including a hat-trick, from 3.2 overs to return with the best ever figures in the history of T20 internationals, surpassing the previous record held by Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis who scalped 6/8 against Zimbabwe in 2012.
Chahar thus became the first Indian male cricketer, and 12th overall, to take a hat-trick in T20 internationals. In women’s cricket, Ekta Bisht had taken a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in 2012. He and Shivam Dube (3/30) shared nine wickets amongst themselves to secure India’s first T20 series win at home this season. Heavy late evening dew rendered the spinners ineffective but Chahar and Dube rose to the occasion. Iyer (62 off 33) and Rahul (52 off 35) had earlier smashed sublime half-centuries to propel India to 174 for five after Bangladesh opted to field. Chasing the target, the visitors were all out for 144 in 19.2 overs. With 50 needing off the last 30 balls and six wickets in hand, Bangladesh had a great opportunity to win the series but they crumbled under pressure. Rookier opener Mohammad Naim (81 of 48) played a blinder to take Bangladesh deep into the game before they lost five wickets for 20 runs to blow it all away. Chasing a challenging 175, Bangladesh suffered early setbacks as Chahar had opener Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar caught off successive balls to leave the visitors at 12 for two. Naim, playing his debut series, and Mohammad Mithun (27) shared a 98-run stand for the third wicket to bring their team back into the contest. Left-hander Naim played some exquisite strokes against the spinners and welcomed Yuzvendra Chahal into the attack with three consecutive fours. (PTI)