Karnataka spinner Shreyas Gopal levelled with compatriot Amit Mishra to register the most hat-tricks by an Indian bowler in T20 cricket. Gopal reached this accomplishment during his side’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Baroda on Tuesday. During the game, while defending a total of 170 runs set on the back of a fine half-century from Abhinav Manohar (56 in 34 balls, with six sixes), Karnataka seemed to be in trouble with Baroda at 102/1 in 10 overs.
Gopal, bowling his second over, turned the game on its head by removing Shashwat Rawat for 63 in 37 balls, with seven fours and two sixes. It was followed by him getting scalps of Pandya brothers, Hardik and Krunal for golden ducks, which earned him a hat-trick and his team a chance to win the game. Gopal’s figures of 4/19 ultimately went in vain as wicketkeeper-batter Vishnu Solanki remained unbeaten on 28 to guide his team to a four-wicket win with seven balls left. Gopal now has the second-most hat-tricks by any bowler in T20 cricket, tying with Mishra. One of his hat-tricks was during the 2019 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) when playing for Rajasthan Royals (RR) against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), he removed Virat Kohli, Marcus Stoinis, and AB de Villiers. He also has a hat-trick against Haryana from the 2018-19 season.
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The most hat-tricks by a bowler in T20s are by star Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan, who has a total of four hat-tricks in T20s.Gopal has played 103 T20s, taking 124 wickets at an average of 19.13, with the best figures of 5/11. He has also scored 525 runs in 42 innings at an average of 16.93, with best score of 48*.
In the ongoing SMAT 2024, he is the leading wicket-taker with 14 scalps in six matches at an average of 8.92, that includes a five-wicket haul too.
