Sam Curran became the youngest to take a hat-trick in the Indian Premier League during the Kings XI Punjab’s 14-run victory over Delhi Capitals. He picked up four wickets for 11 runs in 2.2 overs, including the season’s first hat-trick in Chandigarh match.
However, the 20-year-old England all-rounder had no idea he had dismissed three batsmen in a row. Curran inflicted damage on Delhi Capitals, who were chasing a target of 167.
The visitors were requiring just 23 runs from 21 balls with seven wickets in hand. But Curran’s deliveries reduced them to 152 all-out.
“When we won the game, one of the players came up to me and said ‘you’ve got a hat-trick’. I had absolutely no idea I had taken one,” said Curran.
The hat-trick came from two overs span started in the 18th of the innings. He dismissed Harshal Patel off the last ball of the over. He then clean bowled Kagiso Rabada and Sandeep Lamichhane out off successive deliveries at the start of the 20th over.
Curran said his main focus was obviously that last ball when Rabada came and he was aiming for his stumps and his toes. He had already dismissed Colin Ingram just two balls before the hat-trick sequence began.
Indian paceman Mohammed Shami halted Delhi Capitals’ run scoring spree by dismissing the dangerous Rishabh Pant for 39 before captain Ashwin then ran Chris Morris out for a duck.
