North Zone Cricket Team vs East Zone Cricket Team Match Scorecard: Auqib Nabi created history in the Duleep Trophy on Friday by taking a hat-trick in North Zone’s quarter-final clash against East Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground in Bengaluru. The 28-year-old pacer from Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir, struck in the 53rd over of East Zone’s first innings. He dismissed Suraj Jaiswal for 10, caught by wicketkeeper Kanhaiya Wadhawan. He then trapped Manishi leg-before for a duck and bowled Mukhtar Hussain without scoring. Nabi had earlier removed Virat Singh for 69 and later dismissed Mohammed Shami for 1 to complete a five-wicket haul.

Nabi became only the third bowler to take a hat-trick in the Duleep Trophy. Kapil Dev achieved the feat for North Zone against West Zone at Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi in 1978-79. Sairaj Bahutule repeated it for West Zone against East Zone at Nehru Stadium in Pune in 2000-01.

Nabi’s first-class record now includes 90 wickets in 29 matches at an average of 22.12, with eight five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket match hauls. He has also taken 42 wickets in 29 List A matches.

North Zone Cricket Team vs East Zone Cricket Team Match Scorecard

North Zone finished their first innings at 405 in 93.2 overs. East Zone could manage only 230 in 56.1 overs despite Riyan Parag’s efforts.