Taking a hat-trick is undoubtedly one of the toughest feats to achieve in cricket, and the fact that it has been achieved on only 87 occasions across the formats proves its rarity. And, so any bowler standing on the cusp of taking a hat-trick is bound to get nervous. However, the case was different with Bangladesh fast-bowler Taskin Ahmed.

The 21-year-old right-arm bowler on Tuesday (March 28) became the fifth bowler from his country to claim a hat-trick in One Day Internationals. He achieved the feat during the second ODI of the three-match series against Sri Lanka in Dambulla. Taskin dismissed Asela Gunaratne, Suranga Lakmal and Nuwan Pradeep on three back-to-back deliveries to achieve the feat and finished with the figures of four wickets for 47 runs in 8.5 overs.

Taskin said he was confident of taking the hat-trick.

“I was imagining all of this while I was fielding in the previous over. By the grace of Allah, it all transpired like I had planned.”

“I missed a lot of hat-trick chances before, but this time I was a lot relaxed before the hat-trick ball. It just felt right, that I will get it this time. And it happened.”

Well, his effort was surely a memorable one but it went in vain as the match was washed out due to rain. Bangladesh could not start their innings due to rain after bowling out the hosts Lanka for 311 runs in 49.5 overs. The final match of the series will be played on April 1.