Axar Patel hattrick in Champions Trophy

In a dramatic moment at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Axar Patel came agonizingly close to securing a hat-trick against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday. However, a costly drop by Indian captain Rohit Sharma denied the left-arm spinner the milestone, turning what could have been a historic over into a missed opportunity. So let’s look at the Axar Patel hattrick in Champions Trophy.

Axar struck twice in quick succession during the ninth over, dismissing Tanzid Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim on consecutive deliveries.  

With the momentum on his side, he bowled a sharp delivery to Jaker Ali, who got a thick outside edge. The ball flew to the slip cordon, where Rohit Sharma was perfectly positioned—only to fumble an easy catch. The Indian skipper’s frustration was evident as he dropped to the ground multiple times, visibly upset with himself before apologizing to Axar, who could only manage a resigned smile. 

At that stage, Bangladesh was struggling at 35 for five, reeling under the pressure applied by India’s bowling attack. Mohammed Shami and young pacer Harshit Rana had already inflicted early damage before Axar’s twin strikes put India in a dominant position. However, India’s fielding soon allowed Bangladesh to claw their way back into the contest. 

Towhid Hridoy and Jaker Ali stitched together a crucial partnership, capitalizing on India’s mistakes. The lapses in the field continued as Hardik Pandya dropped Hridoy at mid-off in the 20th over off Kuldeep Yadav’s bowling. The frustration among Indian players was apparent, as such missed chances gave Bangladesh a much-needed lifeline. 

Earlier in the match, Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto won the toss and opted to bat, fielding a balanced lineup with three seamers and two spinners. India, on the other hand, made two changes from their previous ODI against England, bringing in veteran pacer Mohammed Shami and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in place of Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy. 

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