Irfan Pathan started his cricketing journey with Team India as a left-arm medium pacer, renowned for his swing. Gradually, Pathan molded himself into more of a fast bowling all-rounder and retired with 2821 international runs across all three formats (29 Tests, 120 ODIs, 24 T20Is).
When Pathan was raw in the international arena he produced one of his most memorable performances with the ball albeit of it coming in a losing cause. Back in 2006 when India were touring Pakistan, the left-arm quick had rocked Pakistan's top order comprising Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, and Younis Khan to claim a hat-trick. Pathan achieved the feat in the third Test in Karachi under Rahul Dravid's captaincy, which India eventually lost by 341 runs.
Despite being one of the rarest and most celebrated moment in a bowler's career, Pathan doesn't place it in any of his fondest memories, which he revealed during a recent interaction with the Lallantop.
"That hat-trick against Pakistan is not among my favourite memories. I don't talk about it much. I talk about the T20 World Cup final happily. In 2004, at the age of 19, I took three wickets in the series decider in Pakistan. I talk about that match happily. I went to Australia and won the 'Player of the Match' in the Perth Test. I talk about that match happily too. This is because we won that match. It is more fun to talk about one's own contribution when we have won that match. We did not win the match in which I took the hat-trick," the ex-India all-rounder noted.
Despite the outcome the moment still stands as one of the fondest spell to any Pakistani top-order and Pathan continues to receive clips of that performance.
"I think people like that. They send me videos of this hat-trick. There were more than 20 thousand runs in those three wickets. The way the ball swung there is very pleasing to the eyes of the fans. That is why fans like that spell," Pathan added.
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Pathan had registered a five-wicket haul in the first innings of the match, which restricted Pakistan to 245. However, India failed to capitalise on the momentum and crumbled for 238 in response - with Pathan's 40 being the highest individual total in the first innings.
The hosts then dished a clinical batting performance in the second innings, which took India out of the contest eventually leading to a humiliating loss.
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