ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: Trent Boult becomes first New Zealand bowler to take hat-trick

Trent Boult created history for New Zealand in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 clash against Australia at Lord's as he became the second bowler after Indian cricket team pacer Mohammed Shami to take a hat-trick in the tournament. Shami achieved the feat against Afghanistan on June 22 in Southampton when he took the wickets of Mohammad Nabi, Aftab Alam and Mujeeb Ur Rahman to give India a 11-run win and remain unbeaten in the tournament. Against Austraia, Boult was at his fabulous best and he restricted Australia to 243/9 after the five-time champions had staged a recovery thanks to Usman Khawaja's 88. Bowling the final over of the innings, Boult conceded two runs in the first two balls before he ran through the lower order. 

On the third ball, Khawaja moved to the off side and looked to glance a full, reverse-swinging yorker to fine leg but he missed and the ball hit the leg stump. Mitchell Starc came out to bat and he was cleaned up with a reverse-swinging yorker first ball. Jason Behrendorff came to bat and he was greeted with yet another reverse-swinging yorker. Behrendorff looked to defend but he was beaten by the late swing and the ball hit the back pad. Boult appealed and the umpire gave it out. Australia opted for the review but replays showed that the ball pitched in line and was hitting middle stump. Boult had a chance to do a Lasith Malinga by taking four wickets in four balls but Nathan Lyon moved to the off side and missed the ramp shot. 

In the process, Boult became the first New Zealand bowler to ever take a hat-trick in the ICC Cricket World Cup. The left-armer became the third New Zealand bowler to ever take a ODI hat-trick after Danny Morrison and Shane Bond. Morrison achieved the feat against India in an ODI in Napier in 1994 while Bond took a hat-trick against Australia in Hobart in 2007. In fact, this was Boult's second hat-trick in ODIs, having earlier achieved the feat against Pakistan in the 2018 match at Abu Dhabi. 

Boult's hat-trick is the 11th instance overall of a hat-trick in the World Cup, with the first being Chetan Sharma of India who took a hat-trick against New Zealand during the 1987 edition of the World Cup in Nagpur. After Sharma, Saqlain Mushtaq, Chaminda Vaas, Brett Lee, Lasith Malinga (twice), Kemar Roach, Steven Finn, JP Duminy and Shami took hat-tricks. This was the second hat-trick against Australia in World Cups, with Finn taking it in the 2015 World Cup clash in Melbourne. 

Boult has enjoyed tremendous success against Australia in World Cups, taking 5/24 in the clash in Auckland in 2015 which resulted in New Zealand winning the match by one wicket. If Kane Williamson's side win against the five-time champions, then they will seal their spot in the semi-final of the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.

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HIGHLIGHTS

• Trent Boult became first Kiwi bowler to take World Cup hat-trick.
• This was Boult's second hat-trick.
• Boult had taken 5/24 against Australia in the 2015 World Cup in Auckland.