Karachi: Irfan Pathan, the hero of the day, walked in with a smile. Little did he imagine that he would emerge as the first bowler to take a hat-trick in the first over of a Test match.
The magnitude of his achievement was yet to sink in as Pathan talked in depth about his experience in the morning.
GULF NEWS: What helped you to produce such a spell?
PATHAN: There was some moisture in the wicket but I did not get any help from the air. All that I did was to concentrate on a good length.
Did you expect to get a hat-trick in the first over?
I was excited when I got my first wicket in the first over of the first day. But I never expected the hat-trick to happen. It is a dream achievement for anyone.
What was going on in your mind when you were on a hat-trick?
I have been on a hat-trick chance twice in one-day matches, but it did not happen. So I did not expect it to happen here. But I decided to keep it simple and bowl on the stumps.
Did you think that you could get Mohammad Yousuf as your third wicket?
I realised that it was a new situation for Yousuf as well. However reputed the batsman is, every inning is a new one. So I bowled on the stumps.
What did Harbhajan, the first Indian to take a hat-trick, have to say about your spell?
He congratulated me and reminded me that we were the only two in the history of Indian cricket to do it. All my teammates were proud of my achievement.
Have you kept the ball?
I requested for it and it is with me now. (smiles).
How do you plan to celebrate your feat?
There will be no celebrations. We have four more days to go in this Test and I will celebrate only if we win the match.
