With hat-trick in his first ever over in T20I cricket, New Zealand all-rounder creates world record

SportsTak

After producing a nerve-wracking ODI series, the T20I series between New Zealand and Ireland has been one-sided so far. In the second of the three T20Is, in-form batter Michael Bracewell tried his hand at bowling for the first time in the format and created history by taking a hat-trick.
 

So far, Bracewell had been showcasing his talent with the bat lower down the order. His unbeaten century helped New Zealand register a thrilling last-over win in the first ODI of the tour.
 

With Ireland practically out of the game, Mitchell Santner handed the ball to Bracewell. The right-arm off-spinner's first ball went for a boundary and the next for a single. Barry McCarthy rather played Bracewell with ease. 
 

Mark Adair, who was batting at 27, looked to do the same. Adair went for an aerial shot but found the deep mid-wicket fielder Glenn Phillips. Next ball, McCarthy went for a big shot but failed. Phillips took another catch and Bracewell was on hat-trick.

 

 


 

Craig Young came in to bat and played like a tailender. Young sliced it but but could not clear the 30-yard circle and got caught by short third-man fielder Ish Sodhi for a golden duck. Bracewell bagged a hat-trick out of nowhere.
 

Other Kiwis to take hat-trick
Bracewell became the third New Zealand bowler to take a hat-trick. The last hat-trick by a Kiwi bowler was taken by Tim Southee against Pakistan in 2010. Jacob Oram was the first Kiwi bowler to take a hat-trick and second in the world. Oram took it against Sri Lanka in 2009.
 

The big record
The 31-year-old is not the first to achieve the feat for New Zealand but he is the first in the world to take it in the first over of his T20I career. Also, he bagged a unique record in international cricket across formats. He is the first player to take three or more wickets while bowling less than a full over in an innings of international cricket.
 

Another record
As a result, Ireland got bundled out for 91 while chasing 180. This is New Zealand’s biggest win by runs (88) in the format. The previous best by 83 runs came against Ireland only in Nottingham in 2009.