Joshua Little picked up the second hat-trick of the tournament against New Zealand at the Adelaide Oval on Friday, November 4. This is a historic moment in Irish cricket as they are the first team to have two bowlers taking a hat-trick at the T20 World Cup. The previous edition saw Curtis Campher pick one up versus the Netherlands.
Little’s hat trick included the scalps of the well-set Kane Williamson followed by Jimmy Neesham and Mitchell Santner. Both Neesham and Santner were adjudged LBW for golden ducks. This hat trick saved 20-30 runs given the Kiwis were batting.
Let’s look at some Twitter reactions to this magnificent feat achieved by Joshua Little:
We are the only team to take more than one men's T20 World Cup hat-trick 🎩#IREvNZ #T20WorldCup #BackingGreen ☘️🏏 pic.twitter.com/XtDyVH8LHq
— Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) November 4, 2022
Moment to savour for Josh Little who announced himself last year at the T20 World Cup to a wider audience. And now, has shown that his good reviews were not misplaced! #Hattrick
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) November 4, 2022
Hat-trick to end an outstanding World Cup for Josh Little: 7-59 from 11 overs against England, Australia and New Zealand.
Aged 23, with left-arm angle, height, swing and ability to bowl over and around – and in all 3 phases – will get plenty of chances in T20 leagues
— Tim Wigmore (@timwig) November 4, 2022
Josh Little’s stock has certainly risen even more across this #ICCT20WorldCup Superb hat-trick.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) November 4, 2022
Get in, Josh Little. Dismisses a set Kane Williamson, before unleashing two proper pearlers to bring a hat-trick – absolute gem of a bowler. #T20WorldCup
— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) November 4, 2022
Most wickets in T20Is in a calendar year
39 Josh Little (2022)
38 Sandeep Lamichanne (2022)
36 Wanindu Hasaranga (2021)
36 Tabriaz Shamsi (2021)
35 Dinesh Nakarni (2021)
35 Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2022)#JoshLittle has gone from strength to strength. Onwards and upwards.#NZvIRE— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) November 4, 2022
Josh Little………… what a terrific young man he is. Not just a terrific bowler but a brilliant young person. Leading this attack day in day out. Big shout out to @rob_cassell for all the hard work he did with Josh a few years ago and the continued work being undertaken by Eagy.
— Niall John O Brien (@niallnobiobrien) November 4, 2022
And we have a Little Hattrick here 🙌🏼
Full of Josh 💪🏼#T20WorldCup #JoshLittle— Gaurav Kapur (@gauravkapur) November 4, 2022
Hat-trick against New Zealand in T20 World Cup 2022 and wickets of Williamson, Neesham and Santner.#NZvIRE #NZvsIRE #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/nt8HDgaYEa
— Syed Muhammad Muneeb (@syedmuneeb101) November 4, 2022
JOSH LITTLE, HUGE HAT-TRICK yew 🔥 #NZvIRE #T20WorldCup #KaneWilliamson pic.twitter.com/aKaJVtgRvb
— MANOJ_DHFP (@mr_innocent0613) November 4, 2022
https://twitter.com/Ash_00007/status/1588408421908639745?s=20&t=57rCtjh0DIc1jQVX1hfcjg
He has announced himself on the world stage as he bowls in all phases of the game at the young age of 22 years. This calendar year he is the highest wicket-taker in T20IS taking 39 wickets. He ended up with figures of 22-3 in his four overs and gave runs at an economy of 5.40.
Courtesy of this hattrick and superb death bowling by the Irish, New Zealand was restricted to 185-6. Kane Williamson top scored for the Kiwis scoring 61 of 35 balls which consisted of five fours and three maximums at a strike rate of 174.29. Finn Allen had got the Kiwis off to a flyer of a start scoring 32 of 18 balls.
Ireland go down against New Zealand by 35 runs
Ireland began their chase and scored 73 runs and their openers Paul Stirling and Andrew Balbirnie for 37 and 30 respectively. But once the Kiwis pulled the brakes, Ireland couldn’t make a comeback. They could only manage 150/9, going down by 35 runs.
Lockie Ferguson scalped three wickets, while Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner, and Ish Sodhi picked up two wickets apiece.
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