On October 14, 1989, in the cricketing arena of Sharjah, Pakistan’s young left-arm pacer Wasim Akram etched his name into the history books by delivering a match-winning performance against the mighty West Indies. At just 23 years old, Akram’s remarkable bowling not only steered Pakistan to a thrilling victory but also saw him claim his first ODI hat-trick, the fourth-ever in the format’s history.
The West Indies, chasing a target of 251, found themselves in a solid position at 209 for five, looking likely to snatch the win from Pakistan. However, Akram had other plans. With his team in a precarious situation, he produced a game-changing spell that tore through the West Indian lower order.
His hat-trick victims were three of the fiercest opponents in world cricket: Jeff Dujon, Malcolm Marshall, and Curtly Ambrose. All three were undone by Akram’s lethal swing bowling, as each of them was clean-bowled by unplayable deliveries. The final nail in the coffin came when Akram dismissed the last man, Courtney Walsh, sealing the West Indies’ fate as they were bowled out for 239 in 48.4 overs, falling short by 11 runs.
Wasim Akram has taken multiple ODI hat tricks!
This incredible feat not only won Akram the prestigious Man of the Match award for his stunning figures of five for 38 but also established him as one of the most fearsome bowlers in the world. Pakistan had previously recorded just one ODI hat-trick, but Akram’s heroics added the nation’s second, making it a monumental day in Pakistan cricket.
Akram’s brilliance wasn’t just a one-off occurrence. A year later, in May 1990, he repeated the feat, this time against Australia. In yet another match at Sharjah, he dismantled the Australian lineup, clean-bowling Merv Hughes, Carl Rackemann, and Terry Alderman in consecutive deliveries. Australia, chasing 267, could only manage 230, with Akram once again emerging as the tormentor-in-chief.
While Akram didn’t claim any more ODI hat-tricks, his impact in the game went beyond the limited-overs format. He added two Test hat-tricks to his illustrious career, both against Sri Lanka in 1998-99, further cementing his legacy as one of the greatest fast bowlers to ever grace the game.
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