Pat Cummins creates history in T20 World Cup 2024, becomes first bowler to bag back-to-back hat-tricks in T20Is

It is hard to believe that Australia’s ODI and Test captain Pat Cummins was not a part of their starting XI in the T20 World Cup 2024 opening encounter against Oman. Cummins has proved that he is a skilled T20I bowler with two consecutive hat-tricks in T20 World Cups. He became the first bowler to do it on the international stage and not just in World Cups. 
 

In the 18th over of Afghanistan's innings, Cummins dismissed captain Rashid Khan for a single-digit score. Rashid handed an easy catch to Tim David at long-on. In the next over, Karim Janat went for a slog and got caught by David at long-on as well. Gulbadin Naib walked out to play the hat-trick delivery. Naib went for a big shot too but found Glenn Maxwell at deep mid-wicket as Cummins completed his second hat-trick on the trot.

Double hat-trick chance missed 

Cummins had a chance to grab a double hat-trick as well. Nangeyalia Kharote could not control the hard length delivery. He would have been caught at deep point but David Warner dropped it. Cummins conceded 28 runs form his quota of overs and helped Australia restrict Afghanistan for 148/6 despite a 118-run opening partnership. 

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Bowlers with two hat-tricks in T20Is

Cummins' previous hat-trick came against Bangladesh in Antigua. This is the seventh hat-trick in T20 World Cups history. Also, Cummins became the fifth bowler to take two hat-tricks in T20Is. The other bowlers on the list are former Sri Lanka pacer Lasith Malinga, New Zealand's Tim Southee, Serbia's Mark Pavlovic and Malta's Waseem Abbas.

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Cummins’ reaction after second hat-trick

“Yeah I remembered that one (hattrick). Crazy. Played 100-odd games for Australia, (now) got two in a row,” the 31-year-old said during the innings break. 
 

“I thought they batted well. But I also thought we restricted the boundaries. They obviously ran well. Overall, decent bowling effort. Not our tidiest day in the field. Happy with the total. Don't know, it's uncharacteristic (sloppy fielding). Maybe it was the lights. Didn't change too much (the pitch). There was spin throughout, and a little bit up and down. Not the flattest wicket in the world, but also not a terrible wicket - there's runs to be scored out there,” he added.
 

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