The Mumbai all-rounder and star Indian cricketer Shardul Thakur has hit the ground running in the ongoing Group A Elite Ranji Trophy fixture between Mumbai and Meghalaya which is currently taking place in the BKC Ground in Mumbai. Shardul proved far too menacing for the fragile Meghalaya batting lineup.
As the day unfolded, Meghalaya were floored for only 86. Shardul emerged as the chief destroyer for Mumbai as he ran through the batting lineup like a hot knife through the butter. The 33-year-old etched his name in the record books and became the fifth Mumbai bowler to bag a hat-trick in the Ranji Trophy.
Here is the hat-trick moment:
Shardul Thakur takes Hat-trick against Meghalaya during a Ranji Trophy match.pic.twitter.com/BuDe9rtHNP
— Don Cricket 🏏 (@doncricket_) January 30, 2025
Shardul achieved this monumental feat by effecting three consecutive dismissals on the last three balls of his second over of the match. He initiated the collapse by picking the important wicket of Nishanta Chakraborty on the fourth ball of the match. Then he moved on and in his second over he bamboozled Balchander Anirudh by going their his defences and removing him for a three-ball duck.
On the next two balls, Shardul removed Sumit Kumar (caught at slip) and Jaskirat Singh (bowled through the gate) cheaply in quick succession to bag a rare marvelous achievement which so few can dream of at this level. His exploits with the ball left Meghalaya in dire straits at 2-5 in a matter of only 3 overs.
List of Mumbai bowlers to take a hat-trick in Ranji Trophy:
- Jehangir Khot: Bombay vs Baroda at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai (1943-44)
- Umesh Kulkarni: Bombay vs Gujarat at Shastri Maidan in Anand (1963-64)
- AM Ismail: Bombay vs Saurashtra at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai (1973-74)
- Royston Dias: Mumbai vs Bihar at Moin-ul-Haq Stadium in Patna (2023-24)
- Shardul Thakur: Mumbai vs Meghalaya at BKC Ground in Mumbai (2024-25
As far as the match is concerned, it was overall a happy outing for the Mumbai bowlers. Shardul finished with four while Avasthi and D’Souza finished with three and two respectively to sink Meghalaya for a meager 86. Mumbai batters responded strongly with the bat when it was their turn and concluded day one on a high with a score of 213-2 courtesy of some commendable batting from Siddesh Lad (89 off 115) and Ajinkya Rahane (83 off 152).
