Pakistani spinner Noman Ali achieves historic hat-trick in Multan Test

Pakistani bowler Noman Ali etched his name in cricket history by becoming the first Pakistani spinner to secure a remarkable hat-trick on the opening day of the second Test match against West Indies in Multan.

A 38-year-old spinner showed exceptional bowling skills and claimed the key wicket of Justin Greaves in the 12th over.

This was achieved through seamless teamwork with former skipper Babar Azam, who expertly caught the ball after it touched Greaves' bat, resulting in the dismissal of the West Indies batsman. 

Subsequently, Tevin Imlach struggled to handle Noman's delivery and lost his wicket on the first ball.

Meanwhile, Kevin Sinclair edged the ball to the off stump, once again providing an opportunity for Babar to take a sharp catch. This remarkable feat ignited celebrations among Noman Ali's teammates.

Also check: Three Pakistani stars named in ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year for 2024

Earlier, legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram achieved the honor of taking a hat-trick in Test cricket for Pakistan 26 years ago. Later, pacer Naseem Shah repeated this feat against Bangladesh in 2020.

Pakistan, leading the two-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test in Multan by 127 runs, handed a debut to 30-year-old fast bowler Kashif Ali in place of Khurram Shahzad. 

The series is part of the third cycle of the World Test Championship, with Pakistan ranked eighth and the West Indies ninth and last.

Earlier, the International Cricket Council (ICC) had announced Pakistan's Noman Ali and New Zealand's Amelia Kerr as the ICC Players of the Month for October 2024."

Read: Noman, Sajid rout West Indies with spin in Multan Test

Noman and Kerr won following a vote conducted among global fans registered at icc-cricket.com and a specialist panel comprising ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, and media representatives