Shardul Thakur delivered a breathtaking performance in the Ranji Trophy, securing a hat-trick and entering an elite list of bowlers to achieve this milestone in the tournament’s history. The incredible feat took place during Mumbai‘s match against Meghalaya in the 2024-25 season. Thakur’s lethal spell dismantled the opposition’s batting lineup and reinforced his reputation as a game-changer in domestic cricket.
Hat-trick heroics of Shardul Thakur
Thakur set the tone for an outstanding bowling performance early on. His first breakthrough came when he got Nishanta Chakraborty caught by Shams Mulani on the fourth delivery of the match. In his second over, he sent Balchander Anirudh back to the pavilion by breaching his defense, dismissing him for a three-ball duck.
Building on the momentum, Thakur claimed his second consecutive wicket by removing Sumit Kumar for a golden duck, once again caught by Mulani. He completed his hat-trick in emphatic fashion by knocking over Jaskirat Singh’s stumps, ensuring a third straight batter departed without scoring.
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Thakur joins an elite club
With this incredible achievement, Thakur joined an exclusive list of Mumbai bowlers who have recorded a Ranji Trophy hat-trick. Notably, the Palghar-born cricketer became the fifth Mumbai/Bombay bowler to accomplish the unreal feat in the Ranji Trophy history.
Bowlers with a hat-trick for Mumbai in Ranji Trophy
- Jehangir Khot (1943-44) – The first Mumbai player to accomplish this feat, against Baroda at Brabourne Stadium.
- Umesh Kulkarni (1963-64) – Achieved the milestone by dismissing three Gujarat batters in Anand.
- AM Ismail (1973-74) – Registered a hat-trick against Saurashtra at Brabourne Stadium.
- Royston Dias (2023-24) – The most recent before Thakur, accomplishing it against Bihar at the Moin-ul-Haq Stadium in Patna.
- Shardul Thakur (2024-25) – Thakur became the fifth bowler to complete a hat-trick for Mumbai in the prestigious tournament.
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