Ahead of joining SRH in IPL, Rashid Khan becomes first player to achieve this in T20I cricket

Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan has become the first player in the world to take four wickets in four balls in an international Twenty20 match. The 20-year-old young prodigy notched up an incredible double hat-trick as Afghanistan sealed the T20I series 3-0.

Rashid Khan became the first player in the history of the format to achieve this feat, Lasith Malinga once took four wickets off four balls in an ODI match in 2007. Mohammad Nabi smashed opposition for 81 runs off 36 balls after Ireland skipper Paul Stirling won the toss and chose to field first.

Hazratullah Zazai who scored an amazing 162 runs in the previous game was looking good again as he hit 17-ball 31 before he got out off Boyd Rankin’s ball. While Usman Ghani (13) was dismissed lbw by Rankin. Captain Asghar Afghan scored 20 off 20 before he was caught-out by Stuart Thompson off Shane Getkate’s ball.

For Ireland, Kevin ‘O’ Brien top-scored as he hit 47-ball 74 before falling to Rashid Khan off the final ball of the 16th over. Rashid (5-27) then dismissed George Dockrell (18), Shane Getkate (2) and Simi Singh (0) off the first three deliveries of the 18th over to complete the double hat-trick and restrict Ireland to 178-8.

Afghanistan will now play Ireland in a five-match one-day international series starting from February 28. Afghanistan and Ireland will also play a Test match before the tour ends. The only Test will take place from March 15 to March 19 in Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Uttarakhand.