Rajasthan leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi has taken the second hat-trick of the ongoing season of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021. Bishnoi got three wickets off the first four deliveries against Andhra Pradesh to derail their run chase in the powerplay overs itself. The young leggie has also become the third Rajasthan bowler to take a hat-trick. Rahul Chahar and Rituraj Singh are the two other bowlers who have achieved the rare feat.
Bishnoi’s victims
The talented young spinner has been in good form this season in the T20 format. He was given the ball by Rajasthan skipper Ashok Menaria in the fifth over of the run chase in an attempt to get early wickets.
With his second delivery of the match, Bishnoi got the wicket of Andhra Pradesh’s in form opener Ashwin Hebbar who has scored a century this season. Bishnoi went through Hebbar’s defenses and hit the stumps. He knocked over the stumps again to get the wicket of Ricky Bhui on the first ball he faced. The 21-year-old made the Andhra batter Pinninti Tapaswi miss the ball as he got trapped in front of the stumps.
The three wickets reduced Andhra Pradesh to 25/4 in the fifth over. Chasing a target of 150, the team could not get a solid partnership going and kept losing wickets at a regular interval. KV Sasikanth tried hard to get his team close to the target but his unbeaten 24-ball 47 went in vain as Rajasthan won the match by 11 runs.
After taking the hat-trick, Bishnoi bowled an economical spell. He conceded 20 runs from the four overs he bowled. So far, the Punjab Kings spinner has been in good form in the domestic T20 tournament taking eight wickets from five games. He was in good nick in the second phase of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 as well and may be considered for selection in the home T20I series against New Zealand starting November 17.
In the first innings, it was Mahipal Lomror who helped his side post a fighting total. Lomror scored 69 runs from 45 deliveries including six fours and two sixes.
The first hat-trick of the season was taken by Tamil Nadu’s left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore against Puducherry.
