Dhaka, Aug 6 (IANS): Australian pace bowler Nathan Ellis became the first player to take hat-trick on T20 International debut as he picked three wickets on the last three balls of the Bangladesh innings in the third T20 International at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur here on Friday.
Ellis bowled Mahmudullah on the fourth ball of his final over, then followed it up with a slower ball which saw Mustafizur Rahman hole out to deep mid-wicket. He achieved his hat-trick by having Mehedi Hasan caught at deep square leg.
The 26-year-old New South Welshman's hat-trick is the 17th in T20 International cricket, and the third by an Australian after the ones by Brett Lee (2007) and Ashton Agar (2020).
The hat-trick is a rare bright spot for Australia on what has turned out to be a horrible T20 trip to Bangladesh. They have already lost the first two T20 International games. Although Ellis's three wickets restricted Bangladesh to 127/9, Australia got off to a very slow start, scoring 36/1 in eight overs.