Karnataka pacer Abhimanyu Mithun became the first-ever Karnata cricketer to take a hat-trick in the Vijay Hazare trophy after he dismissed three Tamil Nadu batsmen off consecutive deliveries in the final on Friday. What made it more special is that it is Mithun’s birthday today and he returned with a fifer.
Mithun took the hat-trick in the last three balls of the Tamil Nadu innings in which he got better of M Shahrukh Khan (27), M Mohammed (10) and Murugan Ashwin (0).
His other two victims were Murali Vijay (0) and Vijay Shankar (38). Courtesy of his 5/34, Karnata bundled Tamil Naduout for 252 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
A Hat-trick for Abhimanyu Mithun in the final over, becomes the first Karnataka bowler to take a hat-trick in #VijayHazare Trophy.
Tamil Nadu bowled out for 252 in 49.5 overs#KARvTN @paytm pic.twitter.com/A17K50jAxW— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) October 25, 2019
Also, 30-year-old Mithun has now become the first and only Indian cricketer to take a hat-trick on his birthday. Peter Siddle of Australia had also achieved the feat in November 2010 in Brisbane.
Meanwhile, he also becomes the second Indian cricketer to have taken a hat-trick in both the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, joining Murali Kartik in the unique list. Mithun’s Ranji hat-trick had come against Uttar Pradesh in 2009-10.
Earlier in the day, Karnataka captain Manish Pandey won the toss and elected to bowl first. Mithun complemented the skipper’s decision in the very first over of the match as he dismissed experienced Vijay for a duck.
After a 124-run partnership between Abhinav Mukund and Baba Aparajith for the third wicket, the Tamil Nadu batsmen kept on losing their wickets at regular intervals to dent their cause of a big total.
Also, 30-year-old Mithun has now become the first and only Indian cricketer to take a hat-trick on his birthday. Peter Siddle of Australia had also achieved the feat in November 2010 in Brisbane.