Image: Thakur became the fifth Mumbai bowler to take a hat-trick in first-class cricket / © MyFinal11
The ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024-25 witnessed a historic moment as Shardul Thakur claimed his maiden first-class hat-trick against Meghalaya. The Mumbai bowler, who had already impressed with his batting performances earlier in the tournament, showcased his brilliance with the ball. In the match against Meghalaya, Thakur took advantage of the new ball, claiming four wickets early on and helping to dismantle half of the Meghalaya lineup.
His hat-trick came in the third over, where he dismissed Balchander Anirudh, Sumit Kumar, and Jaskirat Singh in consecutive deliveries. This feat made him the fifth Mumbai bowler to achieve a hat-trick in the prestigious tournament, joining a select group that includes Royston Dias, who achieved a similar feat in the previous season.
At the time of writing, Meghalaya had been bowled out for just 86 runs, with Mumbai’s seam attack, including Thakur, Mohit Avasthi, and Sylvester Dsouza, wreaking havoc on the opposition. Thakur’s outstanding performance has been instrumental in Mumbai’s dominance in the match. The Mumbai team, despite some ups and downs in the season, remains hopeful of securing qualification for the knockout stages of the Ranji Trophy.