Not even a Rashid Khan hat-trick could bowl Adelaide Strikers to victory over Sydney Sixers in low-scoring thriller
Adelaide Strikers looked on top against Sydney Sixers as Rashid Khan took an incredible hat-trick. That was before Josh Hazlewood guided the men in magenta home in a thriller at Adelaide Oval.
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Adelaide Strikers marvel Rashid Khan rates the supreme googly that sealed a third Twenty20 hat-trick his ‘dream’ ball and best of an immaculate Big Bash League journey.
Cricket’s No.1 ranked T20 bowler lit up Adelaide Oval with 4/22 including the middle stump hat-trick scalp of Sydney Sixers batsman Jordan Silk but it couldn’t prevent a two wicket defeat on Wednesday.
“I wasn’t expecting to get this hat-trick, it wasn’t spinning much. After getting the first two it made me think what should I bowl,” recalled Rashid, with 49 wickets at 15.8 in 32 BBL matches.
“Before my mark I said ‘let’s go’, just need to pitch it in the right area and thank God I got a wicket.
“I think that was the best ball I have bowled in the BBL, just a perfect length and area to bowl it. You can only dream to bowl that as a hat-trick ball. I had to bowl my best bowl.”
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Rashid is a hat-trick trailblazer, snaring Caribbean Premier League’s first in 2017. Last February the prodigy from Afghanistan’s dangerous Nangarhar province notched T20’s maiden international double hat-trick against Ireland.
Rashid showed why IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad forks out millions for his signature, breaking Daniel Hughes’ 32-run stand with James Vince. Adelaide’s superstar import then spun a web around Vince, Jack Edwards and Silk spanning the 11th and 13th overs.
“This is my third hat-trick, one in the Caribbean, one against Ireland and here,” said Rashid, the first Striker to record a hat-trick.
“I always enjoy it when the team needs me to get the wickets and you have to build the pressure on the batsmen. It always gives you extra energy and it is the time I have to get the run rate up and extra wickets for the team. I am always enjoying performing in those challenges.”
Josh Hazlewood celebrated his 29th birthday by conjuring three straight boundaries to deliver victory with eight balls to spare. The Australian seamer snapped euphoria at Rashid’s magical feat defending a minuscule 135 total. Adelaide hosts struggling champion Melbourne Renegades in Adelaide in Sunday with the rivals enduring three and seven games losing streaks respectively.
“We lost three close games and have a home next against Renegades. They are under pressure, lost seven games. We have to bring our best game, the energy we had the first three games,” said Rashid, who told The Advertiser he desperately wants Afghanistan’s inaugural Test in Australia to be played at his Adelaide Oval ‘home’ next November.
England allrounder Tom Curran 4/22 and 21 off 20 was a deserved man of the match, combining with Hazlewood (1/19) and leg-spinner Lloyd Pope (2/33) to continue Adelaide’s batting woes.
Rashid took the opportunity to praise Croweater Pope’s progress.
“He is a very good bowler and have seen him since the under-19 World Cup,” said Rashid of Pope.
“I think it was good bowling from good sides. You can defend on this wicket but were short by 20 to 25 runs.
“We had to enjoy ourselves and give 100 per cent in the bowling. We were attacking on the batsman and the most important thing it was a close game, we will regroup and work on those areas we are struggling.”