Irfan Pathan Hat-trick: On January 29, 2006, Indian left-arm bowler Irfan Pathan made history in the world of cricket by achieving a hat-trick with the first over of a Test match. It was a moment that he would never forget when it occurred during the third and last Test of the India-Pakistan series in Karachi.
The value of this feat was intensified by the ferocity of the India-Pakistan rivalry. Though India lost the match, Irfan Pathan’s hat-trick on Day 1 is one of the greatest bowling achievements in Test cricket.
Match Context: Third Test between India and Pakistan, 2006
The series was tied at 0-0, with both the earlier Tests ending in draws. Rahul Dravid, captain of the Indian team, won the toss and decided to bowl first on a lively Karachi wicket. Irfan Pathan, India’s opening bowler, was handed the new ball and didn’t hesitate to make history.
Ball-by-Ball Analysis: Irfan Pathan Hat-trick in First Over
1st Wicket: Salman Butt (Caught by Dravid)
Pathan began with three dot balls to left-hand opening bat Salman Butt. On the fourth ball, he bowled an outswinger that edged off the outside of Butt’s bat and went to Rahul Dravid in the slips. Butt left for zero.
2nd Wicket: Younis Khan (LBW)
Next in was the Pakistani captain, Younis Khan. Pathan bowled a nasty in-swinger that caught Younis bang in front of the stumps. The umpire did not hesitate to raise his finger.
3rd Wicket: Mohammad Yousuf (Bowled)
Pakistan’s most reliable bat, Mohammad Yousuf, was the next to come face to face with a red-hot Irfan Pathan. Producing perhaps the best ball of the over, Pathan swirled one in late. It went through Yousuf’s defense and smashed the stumps. The crowd in Karachi exploded, but it was Irfan who didn’t show any nerves with the first over hat-trick in Test cricket.
Irfan Pathan: Second Indian to Take a Test Hat-trick
With this magical over, Irfan Pathan became:
The second Indian to take a Test hat-trick (following Harbhajan Singh)
The first bowler in Test cricket history to take a hat-trick in the first over
Though India lost the match by 341 runs and Pakistan won the series 1-0, Pathan’s spell is still legendary in Indian cricket folklore.
Career Highlights of Irfan Pathan
Test Matches: 29
ODIs: 120
T20Is: 24
International Career Span: 2003–2012
Retired: January 2020
Famed for his instinctive swing, all-around ability, and cool temperament, Irfan Pathan played for India as a dependable all-rounder. His hat-trick in Karachi, though, is his most memorable achievement.
Legacy of the First Over Hat-trick in Test Cricket
Irfan Pathan’s hat-trick is still remembered as one of the most exciting moments in Test cricket history. To do it in challenging conditions, against an arch-rival, and in the first over makes it a once-in-a-lifetime achievement.
ALSO READ: Rishabh Pant Jokes About Rohit Sharma’s Retirement: “Garden Mein Ghoom Rahe Hain”
