21-year-old Mohammad Hasnain made a dream Big Bash League (BBL) debut for Sydney Thunder at the Sydney Showground Stadium with a triple wicket-maiden. Bowling his first BBL over, Hasnain derailed Adelaide Strikers run chase single-handedly with three wickets in four deliveries.
The young Pakistan fast bowler took the wickets of openers Matthew Short and Jake Weatherald off consecutive deliveries followed by the wicket of Jonathan Wells in the third over of the run chase. Strikers were 24/0 after two overs chasing a 173-run target.
Hasnain’s first dismissal was Short who was playing a rampant knock in the powerplay overs. He flicked a length ball but timed it straight to deep square leg fielder Daniel Sams. The opener got out after scoring 13 runs off six deliveries. He got more swing off the next delivery and trapped Weatherald in front of the stumps.
On the hat-trick ball, Hasnain bowled it full and straight but Jonathan Wells managed to keep it out. However, on the next delivery Wells threw his wicket away trying to beat the short mid-wicket fielder Ben Cutting. From 24/0 in two overs, Strikers went to 25/3. The only run scored in the over was via leg byes.
After three quick wickets, Strikers failed to recover and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. The notable contributions from Strikers include Matt Renshaw’s 21-ball 30 and Harry Nielsen’s 31-ball 39. The visitors got bundled out for 144 with five more deliveries to go. Hasnain did not get more wickets in the innings but did not leak runs. In the next three overs of his spell, he conceded 20 runs.
This was Strikers’ sixth consecutive defeat in the season. They are placed seventh on the points table with just nine points in the bag. On the other hand, this was Thunder’s fifth win of BBL 2021-22 from eight encounters.
Earlier opener Matthew Gilkes helped his side post a fighting total of 172/7. Gilkes anchored the innings and scored 93 runs from 57 deliveries including nine fours and three sixes. He got out off the penultimate over of the innings missing his maiden BBL century. For Strikers, Wes Agar and skipper Peter Siddle took three wickets each.
