Aaqib Nabi Makes History with Four Wickets in Four Balls at Duleep Trophy

This year's Duleep Trophy has witnessed a series of remarkable records, with several players etching their names in history. Among them is Aaqib Nabi, who has made headlines by claiming four wickets in just four balls, marking a significant achievement in the tournament. The 28-year-old from Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, entered the elite club of legendary cricketers like Kapil Dev after completing a hat-trick during the quarter-final match between North Zone and East Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground in Bengaluru.

Nabi wreaked havoc on the East Zone batting lineup by taking three wickets in the final three deliveries of the 53rd over. He dismissed Suraj Jaiswal for just 10 runs, catching him out with wicketkeeper Kanhaiya Wadawan. Following that, he trapped Manishi LBW for a duck and clean bowled Mukhtar Hussain without scoring.

Earlier in the innings, Aaqib Nabi also managed to dismiss a well-set Virat Singh for 69 runs. He concluded the East Zone's first innings by sending experienced player Mohammad Shami back to the pavilion for just 1 run. With his five-wicket haul, Nabi became the third bowler in Duleep Trophy history to achieve a hat-trick, following in the footsteps of Kapil Dev and Sairaj Bahutule.

Kapil Dev accomplished this feat during the 1978/79 season at Feroz Shah Kotla (now Arun Jaitley Stadium) while playing for North Zone against West Zone. Similarly, Sairaj Bahutule matched this achievement in the 2000-01 season at Nehru Stadium in Pune while representing East Zone against West Zone. In his first innings against East Zone, Nabi bowled 10.1 overs, including one maiden, and took five wickets for just 28 runs.

Who is Aaqib Nabi?

Aaqib Nabi has bowled 3,999 deliveries in 29 first-class matches, conceding 1,991 runs and taking 90 wickets at an impressive average of 22.12. His best performance in an innings is 6/53, while his best match figures stand at 10/74, showcasing his dominance during long spells.