ICC World Cup 2019 | Mohammed Shami’s hat-trick keeps memory of my hat-trick alive, says Chetan Sharma

06/24/2019

Chetan Sharma has expressed that Mohammed Shami’s hat-trick against Afghanistan will rekindle memories of the same feat he had achieved way back in 1987. Sharma had clean bowled three New Zealand batsmen at the 1987 World Cup on home soil to claim the first hat-trick by an Indian in the tournament.

After being restricted to 224, it was a marathon effort from the Indian bowling attack to keep the team unbeaten at the 2019 World Cup. Going into the last over, Afghanistan needed 16 runs with their key man Mohammad Nabi at the crease. Although he conceded a boundary off the first ball, Shami produced three full and straight deliveries to seal the match for India and became only the second Indian to pick up a hat-trick at a World Cup.

On air, Sanjay Manjrekar immediately reminded the viewers of Chetan Sharma’s hat-trick in 1987 World Cup at the VCA stadium in Nagpur. Chetan picked up on this and expressed his joy.

"It is always a great feeling when your own countryman achieves something you did so many years ago. When Shami got his third wicket, I was immediately transported to Nagpur's VCA Ground 32 years ago," Sharma was quoted as saying by TOI.

Chetan noted that the current generation will now remember his achievement through Shami’s. Against New Zealand, he took out Ken Rutherford, Ian Smith and Ewen Chatfield.

Reminiscing the experience, he said: "I had the world at my feet back then. The next day, when I boarded the flight with the team for the semifinal, all the passengers stood up and applauded for me as I made my way in. It was a memorable moment, I still get goosebumps thinking about it. To top that, the front page of the Times of India too had my photo in it and it just made my day."

The ex-fast bowler, also famously known for conceding a last-ball six to Javed Miandad in an Asia Cup match in Sharjah, was quick to call out the similarities between his and Shami’s dismissals.

"We both are right-arm fast bowlers and both got the leg-stump uprooted to get to our hat-tricks. And yes, we both sport beards too," Chetan quipped.