Our Bureau
Bengaluru
Jammu and Kashmir’s fiery pacer Auqib Nabi has put everyone on notice, making headlines with his record breaking performance in the clash between North Zone and East Zone in the Duleep Trophy this Friday, on August 29th. Auqib became the first player ever in the history of the tournament to take four wickets in four consecutive balls.
In a bowling lineup that had international pacers Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, Auqib stole the spotlight with his figures of 5 wickets for just 28 runs in 10.1 overs. At the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground, the 28-year-old pacer left the East Zone in shackles with his blistering pace finishing off their innings in no time.
Auqib, on the last three deliveries of the 53rd over, cleaned up the set batsman Virat Singh, Manishi and Mukhtar Hussain. Then on the first delivery of his next over, Auqib removed Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal and became the first player in the history to take four wickets in four deliveries.
Before Auqib, there were two players who had taken a hat-trick in the Duleep trophy History. One was India’s legendary all-rounder and captain, Kapil Dev, who was the first one to achieve the feat back in 1978 representing the North Zone. The other was leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule, who achieved the feat in 2001 playing for the West Zone. However, none of them had achieved what Auqib was able to do, taking four consecutive wickets in four balls.
On the back of the 5-wicket haul from Auqib and support from the whole bowling unit, North Zone dismissed the East Zone for 230, taking a lead of 175 runs. Now at the end of Day 3, the North Zone sit comfortably with a huge lead of 563 runs and will be looking to bag this match on the final day.
