Wasim Akram Rocks Sri Lanka With Test Hat-tricks

This article is a part of the series “This month in world cricket”

DR cricket recalls a unique record by the great Pakistani fast bowler, Wasim Akram as he took two test match hat-tricks in the spring of 1999.

They say lightening never strikes the same place twice. Sri Lankans, too, trusted this age-old adage. Until the spring of 1999. That’s when the bolt of lightning struck their batters twice within a fortnight – though in two different cities (Lahore and Dhakka) – in the same month, March. Forever to be etched in the cricketing memory.

The islanders were at the receiving end of two test match hat-tricks by the world’s inarguably best ever left-handed cricketer. Wasim Akram took the first hat-trick on the 6th of March 1999 at the Qaddafi Stadium of Lahore, his native city where he grew up, learning the art of fast bowling that was later refined under the stern tutelage of the great Imran Khan.

Wasim removed Romesh Kaluwitharana (caught behind), Niroshan Bandaratillake (bowled) and Pramodya Wikramasinghe (clean bowled) in successive deliveries to complete his first test hat-trick on a docile Qaddafi Stadium pitch. It was a late burst that wiped up the tail. An efficient display of reverse swing, Wasim Akram’s hand maiden.

The next hat-trick came on the 14th of March 1999 on an equally unresponsive pitch at Dhakka in the Asian Test Championship final. Pakistan had batted all day and had literally run the Lankan opposition into the ground. With only two overs to bowl in the day, that too with a shinning new ball, Akram decided to give it all.
The first delivery to Avishka Gunawardene, the left-handed opening batter, was a steep ripsnorter which he had no choice but to fend. The ball flew to a young Shahid Afridi who completed an excellent diving catch at gully.

Chaminda Vaas was sent as the night watch men. Not the brightest of ideas. Wasim bowled length. The ball angled into the left hander, forcing him to play on the inside of delivery that changed trajectory after landing on the seam. Himself a wily left-handed bowler, Vaas heard his stumps rattle from behind.

Two in two.

Young and promising twenty-one-year-old Mahela Jayawardene was next. Wasim bowled him an inswinger that would have pitched off and hit middle (as revealed by Akram in the post-day’s play interview). But it didn’t. It kept on going with the angle. Mahela went for an extravagant cover drive. Edge was found and a simple grasp was made by Wajahatullah Wasti at the third slip. “It’s absolutely unbelievable,” shouted the excitable late Tony Grieg on the tv screens.

The great English Umpire, David Shepherd shook hands with Wasim, congratulating the Pakistani captain on the great feat. The portly umpire must have stood witness to many a great spell by fast bowlers during his long stint but none better than the one he had just watched.