First hat-trick of 2025… Bowler creates history in New Zealand, yet team loses ODI series

New Delhi- The first international hat-trick of the year 2025 was registered in the name of Mahesh Tikshina. Tikshina took a hat-trick in the second ODI of the series against New Zealand. Teekshana completed his hat-trick in those two overs to become the seventh Sri Lankan bowler to take a hat-trick in ODIs. Despite this off-break bowler’s brilliant hat-trick, the Sri Lankan team lost the series. The host New Zealand defeated Sri Lanka by 113 runs in the second ODI to take an unbeaten 2-0 lead in the 3-match series. For the first time in New Zealand, a Sri Lankan bowler was successful in taking a hat-trick in an ODI.

Due to rain, the match was reduced to 37-37 overs. Mahesh Theekshana took two wickets on the last two balls of the 35th over of New Zealand’s innings. After this, he completed his hat-trick by taking a wicket on the first ball of the 37th over. This is Tikshina’s first ODI career hat-trick. He made Mitchell Santner his first victim in his hat-trick, scoring 20 runs off 15 balls. Teekshina got Santner caught by Chamindu Wickramasinghe on the fifth ball of the 35th over. After this, Nathan Smith was caught by Kamindu Mendis on the very next ball.

After this, Tikshana completed his hat-trick by dismissing Matt Henry on the very first ball of the 37th over. Henry was caught by substitute fielder Nuwanindu Fernando. He was dismissed for one run. Tikshina bowled 8 overs in the match and took 4 wickets including a hat-trick for 44 runs. They took the fourth wicket in the form of Mark Chapman who returned to the pavilion with 62 off 52 balls.

The Sri Lankan team piled up on 142 runs
Batting first, New Zealand scored 255 runs for 9 wickets in 37 overs. Opener Rachin Ravindra played an innings of 79 runs off 63 balls which included 9 fours and a six. Mark Chapman played an innings of 62 runs off 52 balls. Chapman also shared a century partnership with Rachin Ravindra while scoring the third half-century of his ODI career. Ravindra scored the fourth fifty of his ODI career, in reply, the Sri Lankan team collapsed for 142 runs in 30.2 overs. Kamindu Mendis played the highest innings of 64 runs for the visiting team. William O’Rourke took the most 3 wickets for New Zealand.