India’s left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma etched her name in history by becoming the first Indian cricketer to take a hat-trick in the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup. In a dominant performance against Malaysia, she was instrumental in bowling the opposition out for just 31 runs, with India then completing the second-fastest chase in tournament history.
The remarkable feat occurred during the 14th over of Malaysia’s innings when Vaishnavi claimed the wickets of Nur Ain Binti Roslan, Nur Isma Dania, and Siti Nazwah, achieving the rare hat-trick. With figures of 5-5 from her four overs, she was the standout performer in the match. This made her only the second bowler ever to take a hat-trick in the competition, following South Africa’s Madison Landsman, who achieved the milestone in 2023 with a performance of 4-12 against Scotland.
Earlier, Vaishnavi had already dismissed Nur Dania Syuhada and Nuriman Hidayah, helping to reduce Malaysia to a dismal total. India’s bowlers were in full control, with Aayushi Shukla also contributing by taking three wickets. Despite India's dominance, Malaysia's score could have been even lower if it weren't for the 10 wides bowled by India.
INDIA CHASES DOWN 32 IN RECORD TIME
The chase was a mere formality for India, as openers Gongadi Trisha and G Kamalini made light work of the target. India reached the modest target of 32 in just 3 overs, with Trisha finishing unbeaten on 27 and Kamalini on 4. The entire match lasted less than 18 overs, setting a new record for the second-fastest chase in U19 Women’s T20 World Cup history.
With this comprehensive win, India moved to the top of Group A, tied on points with Sri Lanka but with a superior net run rate of 9.1, compared to Sri Lanka’s 5.5.
VAISHNAVI SHARMA REFLECTS ON HER DREAM DEBUT
Speaking after the match, Vaishnavi Sharma shared her excitement: "It was a dream debut to take a hat-trick and a five-wicket haul. My journey has had its challenges, but this performance is a dream come true."
She also revealed her inspirations, stating, "I look up to Radha Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja. I visualized my wickets last night, and it all came together today."
India’s next match is against Sri Lanka on Thursday, January 23. The defending champions will be looking to extend their perfect start to the tournament and secure their third consecutive win.
