T20 WC: Ireland's Joshua Little takes second hat-trick of tournament, becomes sixth bowler to do so
Nov 04, 2022
Adelaide [Australia], November 4 : Ireland medium-pacer Joshua Little on Friday became the second Irish player and sixth overall to take a hat-trick in an ICC T20 World Cup match.
The bowler accomplished this landmark during his side's Group 1, Super 12 match against New Zealand in Adelaide.
In the 19th over of New Zealand's innings, who were put to bat first by Ireland, Little clinched scalps of skipper Kane Williamson (61 off 35 balls), James Neesham and Mitchell Santner (golden ducks) on the second, third and fourth ball.
It reduced Kiwis from 174/3 to 174/6.
He became the second bowler to take a hat trick in the 2022 edition of the tournament. Earlier, it was Karthik Meiyappan of UAE who clinched a hat-trick against Sri Lanka in the round one of the tournament in Geelong.
After all-rounder Curtis Campher, who took a hat trick back in the 2021 edition of the tournament, Little is the second Irish player to clinch a hat trick in T20 WC.
The bowler is also the sixth player overall to get a hat-trick in the global T20I cricket event.
The first bowler to take a hat-trick in T20 World Cup was legendary Australian pacer Brett Lee, who got it against Bangladesh back in the 2007 edition of the tournament.
After this, the 2021 edition of the tournament witnessed three hat tricks. Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga (against South Africa), Curtis Campher (against Netherlands) and South African pacer Kagiso Rabada (against England) were the bowlers who achieved this feat.
Coming to the match, New Zealand posted 185/6 in their 20 overs. Skipper Kane Williamson was back among the runs as he scored 61 off just 35 balls with five fours and three sixes at a strike rate of over 174.
Opener Finn Allen (32 off 18 balls) and all-rounder Daryl Mitchell (31* off 21 balls) posted some valuable contributions too.
Little (3/22) was a standout bowler for Ireland. Spinner Gareth Delany (2/30) and Mark Adair (1/39) also got wickets for Ireland.
Ireland's innings is currently in progress.
