PAK vs WI: Noman Ali becomes first-ever Pakan spinner to take a hat-trick in Test cricket | Cricket News
With the first three balls of the 12th over on Day 1, Noman Ali created hory for Pakan cricket. He became the first ever Pakani spin bowler to pick up a hat-trick in the longest format of the sport, dismissing three West Indies batters on the trot from 38/4 to 38/7 and leave the visitors reeling after they had opted to bat first.
First it was Justin Greaves, who was caught Babar Azam at second slip for 1. Then Tevin Imlach paid the price for an ill-judged sweep shot and was out first ball. Facing the hat-trick ball, Kevin Sinclair pushed at one that just turned from offstump and it was once again Babar Azam at second slip, taking a sharp catch to spark wide celebrations.
Watch the video of the hat-trick here:
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Hat-trick hero Noman Ali makes hory in Multan 🙌#PAKvWI | #RedBallRumble pic.twitter.com/2xRLeYpVXl
— Pakan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 25, 2025
Before Noman, all Pakan hat-tricks in men’s Test cricket were taken pacers. Wasim Akram was the first Pakan bowler to achieve the feat, back in the 1988-99 season and he did so twice against Sri Lanka. The others are Abdul Razzaq (vs SL), Mohammad Sami (vs SL), Naseem Shah (vs BAN).
Before the match, former pacer and current Pakan head coach Aaqib Javed defended the hosts’ decision to play turning tracks for the home assignments, saying that they could have been in the race for the World Test Championship final had these decisions been taken earlier.
“The rule of test cricket is to win at home. If you win at home and you win 2-3 tests away, you become a strong candidate for the final,” Aqib had said in the pre-match press conference. We played in South Africa and didn’t field a spinner there due to the conditions. Similarly, pitches in Australia and England favor pace bowlers. Every country prepares pitches according to their advantage to win matches. I don’t understand the problem with spin-friendly wickets. If pace bowlers take wickets, people say cricket is progressing, but if spinners take wickets, they say cricket is going backward. I don’t understand this.”
