Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan Mahmud has etched his name into the annals of cricket history by becoming the first Bangladeshi pacer to claim a Test hat-trick. Achieving this remarkable feat on the third day of the ongoing Test match against Afghanistan at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the right-arm quick delivered a devastating spell that ripped through the opposition’s lower order, leaving the Afghan side reeling and cementing his own place among Bangladesh’s elite bowlers.
Hasan’s historic spell unfolded with clinical precision as he dismissed Ismat Alam, Qais Ahmad, and Zia-ur-Rehman off consecutive deliveries. While hat-tricks remain one of the rarest and most celebrated achievements in the sport—particularly within the traditional five-day format—Hasan’s performance carries additional significance. Prior to this match, only two other Bangladeshi cricketers had ever achieved a Test hat-trick, both of whom were slow bowlers. Hasan’s triumph breaks new ground for the nation’s pace department, reflecting the steady evolution of Bangladesh’s fast-bowling resources over recent years.
The nation’s inaugural Test hat-trick was recorded more than two decades ago by leg-spinner Alok Kapali. On 29 August 2003, during a Test match against Pakistan in Peshawar, Kapali dismissed Shabbir Ahmed, Danish Kaneria, and Umar Gul in successive balls, writing a brand-new chapter in the country’s cricketing folklore.
It took more than a decade for a Bangladeshi bowler to replicate that milestone. On 13 October 2013, off-spinner Sohag Gazi delivered a sensational performance against New Zealand in Chattogram. Gazi dismissed Corey Anderson, BJ Watling, and Doug Bracewell in three consecutive deliveries to secure the country’s second Test hat-trick. To make the occasion even more extraordinary, Gazi had scored a magnificent unbeaten century earlier in the same match, establishing a unique record in international cricket as the only player to score a hundred and take a hat-trick in the same Test match.
Now, Hasan Mahmud joins this exclusive club as the third Bangladeshi bowler to accomplish the feat, bridging a 13-year gap since the last occurrence. His achievement in Abu Dhabi not only underscores his individual prowess with the red ball but also serves as a defining moment for fast bowling in Bangladesh, proving that the nation’s pacers can dictate terms on the grandest stage of them all.
