Pakistan seamer finishes with figures of 6-11 from 11 overs in just his second game for English county side, Hampshire
Match Report:
ScorecardHat-trick hero Abbas takes five wickets in 13 balls
Pakistani seamer Mohammad Abbas picked up five wickets in just 13 balls, including a hat-trick, to destroy Middlesex in just his second match for English county side, Hampshire.
After Hampshire posted 319 in the match at the Ageas Bowl, Abbas struck with his fifth, sixth and seventh balls of the match to secure a hat-trick, destroying Middlesex's top order.
The right-armer, currently out of favour with Pakistan selectors, then picked up two more wickets in his third over to have figures of 5-3 and leave the visitors reeling at 5-14 just before the lunch break.
LUNCH | 5⃣ wickets, including an incredible hat-trick, from @RealMAbbas226 sees us reduce Middlesex to 23-5👇SOUND ON 🔊📺https://t.co/vVlxv4bMSu & Hampshire Cricket App 📲 pic.twitter.com/8ovrMK6CeF— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) April 16, 2021
Abbas took his sixth wicket after the interval and finished with figures of 6-11 from 11 overs, including six maidens, as Middlesex were bowled out for just 79.
Hampshire then slumped to 2-2 in reply before former Victoria allrounder Ian Holland and Sam Northeast put on an unbeaten 202-run stand to take their side to 2-204 at stumps, a lead of 444.
Abbas famously destroyed Australia in their Test series in the UAE in 2018, taking 17 wickets in just two Tests.
"I took two wickets and before I bowled for my third wicket I realised Ramadan is going on and that is lucky for us, and Friday is a day that is lucky for me," he said, adding he is not currently fasting for the Islamic holy month.
"I have played here before when I was with Pakistan and the pitch had something in it for me, and I bowled on point in the right areas.”
His performance on Friday of five wickets in 13 balls fell just shy of the all-time record for the fastest five-wicket haul; Surrey's Ryan Patel took five wickets in 11 balls against Somerset in 2018 while Jacques Kallis took five in 12 deliveries in a Test against Bangladesh in 2002.
From the start of his spell, Abbas completed his five-wicket haul in just 17 balls.
For context, Stuart Broad's famous Ashes spell against Australia at Trent Bridge in 2015 saw him take five wickets in his first 19 balls, equalling the Test record first set by Australian Ernie Toshack against India in 1947.
Remarkably, Abbas is the third Hampshire bowler in four seasons to take a hat-trick after James Fuller (2020) and Kyle Abbott (2018).