5 best moments of Irfan Pathan's International career
As the all-rounder from Baroda turns 34 today, there cannot be a more auspicious occasion to look back at his best moments in International cricket.
1. A hat-trick never to be forgotten for ages
In the third and final Test against Pakistan in 2006, Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first. In the very first over of the Test match, Irfan Pathan stunned the Karachi crowd with a spell that will never be forgotten by Indian cricket fans.
The fourth ball of the over swung like a banana from a middle stump line to Salman Butt’s fourth stump line, which induced an outside edge and Dravid was safe as a house in slips. This time to the right-hander Younis Khan, once again he hit the fourth stump line and swung it back into him. He was rapped on the pads and the legendary Simon Taufel had his finger raised.
Talk about the consistent execution of marvellous stuff, this was one of the prime examples. Once again, Irfan hit the same area to Mohammad Yousuf, who left too much gap between bat and pad, only to see the red cherry crash into the three sticks behind him. That was only the second hat-trick taken in Indian Test history and the first and only (till date) in the opening over of an innings.
Relive Irfan Pathan’s most iconic moment of his International career.
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