The New Zealand cricket team lost the second T20I match to the Indian cricket team by 65 runs, however, their star pacer Tim Southee achieved a big milestone in the shortest format of the game. Tim Southee, who holds the record for taking the most number of wickets in the history of the T20I format, joined Sri Lankan legend Lasith Malinga in an elite list of T20I bowlers who have taken more than one hat-trick in the shortest format of the game.
Yes, Tim Southee claimed a hat-trick against India in the second T20I between the two sides at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday. Southee ended the day with figures of 4-0-34-3, and all three of these wickets came in the last over of the Indian innings. He dismissed Hardik Pandya, Deepak Hooda, and Washington Sundar on consecutive deliveries in the 20th over of the Indian innings.
Hardik Pandya was dismissed after he hit the ball into the hands of the long-off fielder, while Hooda handed a catch to the fielder at short fine-leg to depart for a golden duck. Washington Sundar was caught out for a first-ball duck at long-on.
It was way back on December 26th, 2010, when Southee had taken a T20I hat-trick against Pakistan. In the first T20I of the three-match series played at Eden Park in Auckland, he dismissed Younis Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, and Umar Akmal on three back-to-back deliveries.
Tim Southee is only the second bowler in the history of the T20I format to achieve this milestone. He has joined the legendary Lasith Malinga in an elite list of T20I bowlers who have taken more than one hat-trick in the shortest format of the game.
However, his heroics came a bit late as India’s sensational batter Suryakumar Yadav had already done the damage. He smashed a stunning 51-ball 111 and made a mockery of the Kiwi attack, smashing them all over the ground. His stunning knock was laced with 11 fours and seven sixes.
