Wasim Akram does it again (15 March 1999)

15 March 1999

Wasim Akram does it again

Zahid Newaz in Dhaka

Wasim Akram himself didn't dream of it. Only a week after his first hattrick in a test match, the Pakistani speedster wrote his name in history again by claiming wickets in three consecutive balls.

TJ Matthews of Australia had two hattricks in one test. But Akram is the first bowler having such an exhilarating experience in two consecutive matches - his first hattrick came in his home city Lahore on March 6 and the second one here today (Sunday).

Some five thousand lucky fans witnessed the historic feat at the Bangabandhu National Stadium and shared the magic of Akram's swingers. They gave a standing ovation to the master bowler when the hattrick came.

"I was relaxed over the ball. But it was an outswinger that the batsman played. And he was caught," said the great bowler, Akram, the only cricketer who took consecutive three wickets twice both in one-day international and test matches.

Akram repeated that he didn't think that he was going to make another hattrick when he bowled against Mahela Jayawardane. "I was relaxed. But I did what exactly I'm supposed to do even after 15 years of my career - keeping the ball close to the wickets," he said.

"Having double hattricks in both one-day and test is very much enjoying ... Not Kapil Dev, but Courtney Walsh is my target," said Akram who overtly dreams of taking 400 test wickets and covertly to be the highest test-wicket taker.

The left-handed fast bowler said he was more excited that he could make the hattrick in front of his father who was at the Bangabandhu National Stadium to watch the final of the Asian Test Championship. The proud father witnessed the first hattrick in Lahore on television.

Not only for the hattrick, the Pakistani captain said, the day was a happy one for him as his two batsmen - Ijaz Ahmed (211) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (200 not out) - both had their maiden double century that almost ensured a victory for the team.

"The beginning was not so good as the toss didn't favour us. But we had a meeting and talked to each other to make the best of the situation," Akram said. "As soon as the match started we brought it in our favour."

As it now stands, Akram is the only bowler with double hattricks both in ODI and Test. But before the latest one, he was also the only bowler having hattricks both in ODI and Test when he made his first Test hattrick earlier this month.

During Akram's first Test hattrick on March 6 in Lahore, the opponent was the same Sri Lanka and in the same tournament of Asian Test Championship. A little difference is that the tornado at that time hit the tail-enders whereas this time it was the top order.

This time the hattrick came from the first ball of his second over and the third of the second innings. Mahela Jayawardana (1) hit the outswinger and was caught by Wajahatullah Wasti in the third slip confirming the second Test hattrick for the Pakistani skipper, Wasim Akram.

Before that Akram claimed the wickets of Avishka Gunawardane (0) and Chaminda Vaas (0) in fifth and sixth ball of his first over and also of the innings. Opener Gunawardane was caught by Shahid Afridi while the off-stump of Vaas virtually broke into two pieces.

Akram had another chance for hattrick when he took the wickets of Gunawardane and Jayawardane in first and second ball of the third over of Sri Lankan first innings. But bad luck for Akram, the third delivery was a no ball.

With the 25th hattrick in Test cricket, Akram also wrote his name along with Hugh Trumble and TJ Matthews, both of Australia, who earned the glorious feather twice. Matthews made his double hattrick in one Test match.

Source :: CricInfo365