OTD 2020: Naseem Shah became youngest bowler to pick up a hat-trick in Tests

On this day in 2020, Pakistan’s Naseem Shah became the youngest bowler ever to claim a hat-trick in Tests. Young Naseem was only 16 when he took the Bangladesh team by storm. He picked up three consecutive wickets to clinch his first hat-trick. With this feat, the budding pacer surpassed the former Bangladesh leg spinner Alok Kapali. The former cricketer held the record for nearly 17 long years, having taken a Test hat-trick against Pakistan in August 2003, at the tender age of 19.

Pakistan were dismissed for 445 runs in the first innings with centuries from Shan Masood and Babar Azam. The side got a massive lead of 212 runs after Bangladesh collapsed for 233 runs in their first innings. On Day 3, young Pakistan pacer dominated the Bangla Tigers in their second innings..

Naseem took on Najmul Hossain Shanto (38 runs) in the seventh over of the second innings. The 16-year-old trapped the Bangla batter for an LBW as the ball crashed into the leg stump as per ball tracking. Naseem sent Taijul Islam for a golden duck with an LBW in the very next ball. Mahmudullah was on strike to face the final ball of the over which also marked the hat-trick ball. What followed was all joy in the Pakistan camp. Naseem etched history by dismissing the seasoned batter to complete his hat-trick.

The batter got a thick edge which flew low and was safely taken by Haris Sohail. As Naseem became the youngest bowler to pick up a hat-trick in Tests, he concluded the innings with a four-fer (4/26) as Pakistan won the contest by an innings and 44 runs.