Pat Cummins became the first Australian cricketer since Brett Lee to claim a T20 World Cup hat-trick. Cummins grabbed the wickets of Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan and Towhid Hridoy in consecutive deliveries over two overs as Australia’s bowlers produced a disciplined performance to contain the Bangladeshis at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound. It was also the first hat-trick in this edition of the T20 World Cup.
Cummins, restored to the starting line-up, finished with figures of 3-29 off four overs while spinner Adam Zampa also impressed with 2-24 as Australia restricted Bangladesh to 140/8.
Overall, Cummins became the seventh bowler to claim a hat-trick in T20 World Cups. He was also the fourth Australian after Lee, Ashton Agar, and Nathan Elis to claim three wickets off three balls in all T20Is.
Hat-tricks in Men’s T20 World Cup
Brett Lee (AUS) vs BAN, Cape Town, 2007
Curtis Campher (IRE) vs NED, Abu Dhabi, 2021
Wanindu Hasaranga (SL) vs SA, Sharjah, 2021
Kagiso Rabada (SA) vs ENG, Sharjah, 2021
Karthik Meiyappan (UAE) vs SL, Geelong, 2022
Joshua Little (IRE) vs NZ, Adelaide, 2022
Pat Cummins (AUS) vs BAN, Antigua, 2024
Australia bowlers with hat-tricks in T20Is
Brett Lee vs Bangladesh, Cape Town, 2007
Ashton Agar vs South Africa, Johannesburg, 2020
Nathan Ellis vs Bangladesh, Mirpur, 2021
Pat Cummins vs Bangladesh, Antigua, 2024
Mamudullah was the first victim of Cummins. He dragged a slower one back onto his stumps in the penultimate ball of the 18th over. Cummins then got rid of Mahedi Hasan, whose attempted ramp shot ended up straight in the lap of the third man fielder.
The Australian Test and ODI captain completed his hat-trick foxing Towhid Hridoy with a slower one. Hridoy tried to scoop it over the short fine fielder but didn’t get the desired connection and was caught by Josh Hazlewood.
Mitchell Starc breaks Lasith Malinga’s World Cup record
Mitchell Starc, meanwhile, became the most prolific bowler in the history of white ball cricket with his 95th World Cup wicket after trapping Tanzid Hasan in the opening over.
Starc’s early breakthrough saw him pull one clear of Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga, setting the tone for Australia’s bowlers after captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and opted to bowl.
Australia’s bowlers kept Bangladesh on the back foot after Starc’s opening wicket, with restored Josh Hazlewood opening his spell with a maiden.
Another tidy over from Starc left Bangladesh with just eight runs off the first three overs, although Najmul Hossain Shanto signalled a more aggressive approach with a six off Hazlewood to start the fourth over.
Litton Das lashed a pair of boundaries off Starc in the fifth over as Bangladesh’s run rate ticked up to 5.40 runs per over at 27/1.
But the introduction of Zampa slowed the Bangladesh batting, and the Aussie spinner soon had Das bowled out after tempting him to sweep in the ninth over to leave Bangladesh at 58-2.
Glenn Maxwell struck next in the 10th over, Rishad Hossain caught by Zampa at short third man for two as Bangladesh reached the halfway stage of the innings on 67/3.
Shanto’s dismissal by Zampa for 41 in the 13th over slammed the brakes on for Bangladesh however, leaving them on 84/4 before Cummins ripped through the lower order to leave Australia a target of 141 to win.
Australia’s chase was interrupted by rain multiple times. When the 2021 champions were 100/2 in 11.2 overs, rain came down heavily to make it impossible for the game to restart. Australia were declared winners by 28 runs via the DLS method.
