Pat Cummins first Australian after Brett Lee to claim a T20 World Cup hat-trick; Mitchell Starc breaks Malinga’s record

Pat Cummins became the first Australian cricketer since Brett Lee to claim a T20 World Cup hat-trick. Cummins took the wickets of Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan and Towhid Hridoy in successive deliveries over two overs as the Australian bowlers produced a disciplined performance to contain the Bengals at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound. It was also the first hat-trick in this edition of the T20 World Cup.

Cummins, restored to the starting line-up, finished with figures of 3-29 from four overs, while spinner Adam Zampa also impressed with 2-24 as Australia restricted Bangladesh to 140/8.

In total, Cummins became the seventh bowler to claim a hat-trick in T20 World Cups. He was also the fourth Australian after Lee, Ashton Agar and Nathan Elis to claim three wickets from three balls in all T20Is.

Hat-tricks in the Men’s T20 World Cup

Brett Lee (AUS) vs BAN, Cape Town, 2007

Curtis Campher (IRE) vs NED, Abu Dhabi, 2021

Wanindu Hasaranga (SL) vs SA, Sharjah, 2021

Kagiso Rabada (SA) vs ENG, Sharjah, 2021

Karthik Meiyappan (UAE) vs SL, Geelong, 2022

Joshua Little (IRE) v New Zealand, Adelaide, 2022

Pat Cummins (AUS) vs BAN, Antigua, 2024

Australian bowlers with hat-tricks in T20Is

Brett Lee vs Bangladesh, Cape Town, 2007

Ashton Agar vs South Africa, Johannesburg, 2020

Nathan Ellis vs Bangladesh, Mirpur, 2021

Pat Cummins vs Bangladesh, Antigua, 2024

Mamudullah was Cummins’ first victim. He dragged a slower one back onto his stumps in the penultimate ball of the 18th over. Cummins then retired Mahedi Hasan, whose attempted ramp shot went straight into the lap of the third man fielder.

The Australian Test and ODI captain completed his hat-trick of foxing Towhid Hridoy with a slower one. Hridoy tried to scoop the ball over the short fine fielder, but couldn’t get the desired connection and was caught by Josh Hazlewood.

Mitchell Starc breaks Lasith Malinga’s World Cup record

Mitchell Starc, meanwhile, became the most prolific bowler in the history of white-ball cricket with his 95th World Cup wicket after catching Tanzid Hasan in the opening.

Starc’s early breakthrough saw him pull one clear of Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga, setting the tone for the Australian bowlers after captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and elected to bowl.

The Australian bowlers kept Bangladesh on the back foot after Starc’s opening wicket, with the recovered Josh Hazlewood opening his spell with a maiden.

Another tidy over from Starc left Bangladesh with just eight runs after the first three overs, although Najmul Hossain Shanto signaled a more aggressive approach with a six off Hazlewood to start the fourth over.

Litton Das hit a pair of boundaries off Starc in the fifth over as Bangladesh’s run rate rose to 5.40 runs per over at 27-1.

But the introduction of Zampa slowed down Bangladesh’s batting, and the Australian spinner soon got Das out after enticing him to sweep in the ninth to leave Bangladesh at 58-2.

Glenn Maxwell struck next in the 10th over, Rishad Hossain was caught by Zampa at short third man for two as Bangladesh reached mid-innings at 67-3.

However, Shanto’s dismissal by Zampa for 41 in the 13th over put the brakes on for Bangladesh, leaving them at 84-4 before Cummins tore through the lower order to leave Australia with a target of 141 to win.