On This Day In 1989, Wasim Akram Took His First ODI Hat-Trick

Wasim Akram will go down as one the greats of the game without a shadow of a doubt but it was as a 23-year-old that the left-arm pacer first took the cricketing world by storm. The date 14th October, 1989, the place - Sharjah and the opponents - West Indies. Pakistan were in a bit of a soup with the West Indies on 209 for five chasing 251 for victory against Pakistan. Akram stepped up and changed the face of the game by taking the fourth hat-trick in the history of ODI cricket, his first and Pakistan's second. The West Indies were bowled out for 239 in 48.4 overs, falling short by 11 runs and it was none other than Akram who put the final nail in West Indies' coffin by dismissing last man Courtney Walsh.

Incidentally, all three of Akram's hat-trick victims -- Jeff Dujon, Malcolm Marshall and Curtly Ambrose -- were cleaned up with uplayable swinging deliveries.

Akram was given the man of the match award for his figures of five for 38.

The next hat-trick in ODI cricket came a year later in May 1990 and also had the name of Akram on it and this time on the receiving end were Allan Border-led Australia.

Sharjah was again the setting as Akram ran riot, dismissing Merv Hughes, Carl Rackemann and Terry Alderman -- again all clean bowled of conscecutive deliveries.

Chasing 267 for victory, Australia were bowled out for 230 in in 46.5 overs.

Pakistan medium pacer Jalal-ud-Din was the first cricketer to take a hat-trick in ODI cricket and he was followed by Australia's Bruce Reid (1986, vs Australia in Sydney) and India's Chetan Sharma (1987, vs New Zealand in Nagpur).

Akram might not have taken anymore ODI hat-tricks but, like in the 50-over format, he took two Test hat-tricks, both coming against Sri Lanka in 1998-99.