After a stunning performance against Bangladesh in Antigua, Cummins repeated his success by taking a hat-trick in the final overs of the match in St Vincent. First, he caught Rashid Khan at long on with the last ball of the 18th over. Then, he removed Karim Janat in the same manner with the first ball of the 20th over. Finally, Gulbadin Naib hoicked to deep midwicket amidst Afghanistan’s last push for runs. Cummins expressed his surprise and disbelief at achieving two hat-tricks in a row after playing over 100 games for Australia.
The Australian came close to achieving four wickets in four balls, a feat accomplished by Ireland’s Curtis Campher during the 2021 T20 World Cup. However, David Warner missed a chance at deep square when Nangeyalia Kharote swung to the leg side. Despite this setback, Cummins still managed to take three wickets in his final two overs and become one of only a few players to achieve two T20I hat-tricks.
Cummins’ feat was notable due to its short time between his two hat-tricks – just three days apart – since Serbia’s Mark Pavlovic achieved his on consecutive days in 2023 after playing three matches in that time. Additionally, Cummins became the second player to take a hat-trick in consecutive international matches after Wasim Akram accomplished this in consecutive Tests against Sri Lanka in March 1999. The rareness and significance of this achievement make it one of the most historically significant moments in cricket history.
