Irfan Pathan rolled back the years in Birmingham on Saturday when his famous late in-swinger went through the gate to castle Younis Khan during the final of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) between India and Pakistan, reminding of Irfan’s famous hat-trick during the Karachi Test between the archrivals in 2006.

Trying to play towards the on-side on a delivery that swung in late and just enough to go through the gap between the bat and pad, the Pakistan Champions skipper could only hear the sound of timber as Irfan’s delivery ended up rattling the stumps behind him.

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Eighteen years earlier, when Irfan was in his prime, he claimed a famous hat-trick in third Test of the series in Karachi during India’s tour of Pakistan. Coincidentally, Younis was the second wicket to fall in that hat-trick by Irfan, which is still the only instance of a hat-trick in the first over of a Test.

The difference between the two dismissals was that Irfan generated more swing to dismiss Younis in 2006 and he was adjudged out lbw instead of getting clean bowled, which was the mode of dismissal on Saturday.

WATCH IRFAN PATHAN’S HAT-TRICK IN 2006 KARACHI TEST



Opner Salman Butt and Mohammad Yousuf were the other two batsmen that Pathan dismissed as part of his hat-trick in the Karachi Test.

On Saturday in Birmingham, India Champions defeated Pakistan Champions in the final by five wickets to win the World Championship of Legends tournament that featured veteran players.

Led by Yuvraj Singh, India successfully chased a target of 157 runs in 19.1 overs. Ambati Rayudu (50) set the stage with a quickfire half-century, followed by crucial contributions from Yusuf Pathan (30*) and Gurkeerat Singh Mann (34).