India was expected to have an easy walk over against Afghanistan, but then they put up a tough resistance, restricting India for 224 runs and going down in the last over, 11 runs short.
Mohammad Shami was instrumental in India’s success, defending 16 runs in the last over by picking a hat trick. His figures read 9.5-1-40-4.
Shami was hit for a boundary in the first ball of his last over by Mohammad Nabi, but he kept his composure and picked three wickets back to back. Nabi Perished at long on, failing to make a good connection to a Shami full-length delivery and then the speedster rattled the stumps twice to make it 3 out of 3. But Shami’s hat trick was only the second by an Indian bowler in a WC, do you know who took the first?
It was Chetan Sarma in 1987, against Newzealand, as he accounted for Ken Rutherford, Ian Smith and Ewen Chatfield with the last three balls of his sixth over. Sadly, Chetan Sharma’s achievement was soon forgotten as he conceded a last-ball six to Javed Miandad in Sharjah, and India lost the match to Pakistan. Its unfair that players are often remembered for their loss.
Chetan Sarma played 23 Tests, taking 61 wickets at an average of 35.46 and 65 ODI matches with 67 wickets at an average of 34.87.
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