On Friday, August 29, Dilshan Madushanka, a talented fast bowler, etched his name into cricket history. The 24-year-old became only the third Sri Lankan to claim an ODI hat-trick versus Zimbabwe. This feat puts him in a special club of bowlers from his country.
Playing in Harare, the left-arm pacer from Hambantota wrecked Zimbabwe’s batting lineup, dismissing three batters in consecutive balls. This was Madushanka’s first hat-trick in One Day International cricket, and it happened during the final over of the first ODI between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club.
In that dramatic last over, Madushanka, who was Sri Lanka’s top wicket-taker in the 2023 ODI World Cup, first bowled Sikandar Raza with the over’s first ball. Raza, a well-known all-rounder, had scored 92 off 87 balls. Next, Madushanka got Brad Evans out on the second ball, with Asitha Fernando catching him for a golden duck. Madushanka sealed his hat-trick with the third ball, getting past Richard Ngarava’s defenses and hitting his stumps.
Chaminda Vaas was the first Sri Lankan to get a hat-trick in ODIs versus Zimbabwe, achieving this back on December 8, 2001, in Colombo. Wanindu Hasaranga repeated the feat on July 2, 2017, in Galle.
Besides Vaas, Hasaranga, Lasith Malinga, Farveez Maharoof, Thisara Perera, Shehan Madushanka and Maheesh Theekshana, too, have taken ODI hat-tricks. In total, eight bowlers have accomplished this against Zimbabwe in ODIs.
Saqlain Mushtaq, the famous Pakistani spinner, was the first bowler ever to grab an ODI hat-trick versus Zimbabwe. He actually ended his career with two ODI hat-tricks against them. Along with Mushtaq, Vaas, Shahadat Hossain (Bangladesh), Abdur Razzak (Bangladesh), Taijul Islam (Bangladesh), Hasaranga, Imran Tahir (South Africa), and now Madushanka, have all taken an ODI hat-trick when playing against Zimbabwe.