Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar showcased his brilliance again and delivered a remarkable hat-trick and a triple-wicket maiden in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). Bhuvneshwar led Uttar Pradesh to a close-fought 10-run victory against Jharkhand with exceptional figures of 3/6. Just after signing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2025 mega auction, it turned out to be a night to remember for the veteran pacer.
Match-Winning Spell
With Jharkhand still chasing a target of 161, Bhuvneshwar bowled a game-changing 17th over. He dismissed Robin Minz, Bal Krishna, and Vivekanand Tiwari off consecutive deliveries, sealing a sensational hat-trick. The act became all the more special as he bowled three dot balls to finish off the over as a maiden, making Uttar Pradesh really tighten their grip on the match.
Supporting him, Nitish Rana and Mohsin Khan took two wickets each which helped Uttar Pradesh to win against Anukul Roy’s 91-run knock. Though they have won, Uttar Pradesh is at the sixth position in Group B with eight points.
1⃣6⃣.1⃣ – Wicket ✅
1⃣6⃣.2⃣ – Wicket ✅
1⃣6⃣.3⃣ – Wicket ✅Watch Bhuvneshwar’s terrific hat-trick that helped Uttar Pradesh beat Jharkhand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai 👌👌#SMAT | @IDFCFIRSTBank
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/iZkdrM9S0S pic.twitter.com/p6V6hqkqh1
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) December 5, 2024
New Chapter With RCB
Bhuvneshwar’s sensational form has come following his selection by RCB during the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah. The pacer ends a decade-long stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad with a new home at RCB who picked him up for a whopping ₹10.75 crore. This will be the start of a new journey for the bowler, as he has always shown his skills in IPL.
The 33-year-old tallies nine wickets into the ongoing SMAT, as he again proves to be one of India’s finest swing bowlers.
Fans Celebrate The Return Of Swing King
Bhuvneshwar’s hat-trick has sent waves of excitement among cricket fans. Fans have been flooding social media with praise, reminiscing about his golden days and calling for his inclusion in the national team. Many even urged selectors to consider him for the upcoming series in Australia.
Bhuvneshwar last represented India in November 2022 during a T20I match in Napier. Injuries and inconsistent form have kept him out of the national squad, but he remains a consistent performer in the IPL. In the 2024 season, he took 11 wickets and played a pivotal role in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s journey to the final.
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