Shahadat record his name in history

Shahadat Hossain etched his name in the cricket annals as a first Bangladeshi bowler to earn a hattrick in the one-day international.

The 20-year old fast bowler achieved the rare feat during the third match of the five-match series against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club ground on Wednesday to become the 19th bowler in the game's shorter-version history.

But the young bowler's party was marred by the Tigers' stunning two-wicket defeat in the match and unfortunately his new-ball partner Mashrafe Bin Mortaza was responsible in the end behind the defeat as he gave away 19 runs in the last over.

Shahadat, however, was the second Bangladeshi bowler to take a hattrick in the international cricket as Alok Kapali made it in Test cricket against Pakistan at Peshawar in August 2003 at the age of 19.

The promising right-arm fast bowler, who was discovered during a talent-spotting camp in Narayanganj, bowled his heart out in the 39th over of the game to get ride on Tafadzwa Mufambisi, Elton Chigumbura and Prosper Utseya in successive deliveries to ensure the treble in his ninth one-day appearance.

In the third ball of that over debutant Mufambisi edged a short ball outside off stump that was easily taken by wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud. Stepped in the dangerous Chigumbura, hero of the home team's victory in the first game, and within a blink of an eye Shahadat speared in a toe-crusher to castle the young batsman.

Then the lanky paceman was on hattrick with Zimbabwe skipper Utseya coming it to salvage the blushes but he got the edge through to Mashud, the stand-in skipper who made no mistake to elate the whole team.

Shahadat, also known as Rajib, is naturally aggressive, and above everything has raw pace and in this series he has provided the evidence that he can be also a good bowler in the abridged version of the game.

His debut in Test against England at Lord's in May 2005 and in one-day against Kenya in March this year might not have been very impressive but his rapid progress in the international level appears to make many believe that he has the ability to become a leading bowler in the country.