SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir’s pace spearhead Auqib Nabi etched his name into Indian cricket history on Friday, becoming the first bowler to claim four wickets in four balls in the prestigious Duleep Trophy. Representing North Zone, Nabi produced a fiery spell against East Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground, leaving fans and experts stunned by his blistering pace and precision.
The 28-year-old seamer achieved the unprecedented feat across two overs. In the final three deliveries of the 53rd over, he cleaned up Virat Singh, Manishi and Mukhtar Hussain. On the very next ball, at the start of his following over, he sent Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal back to the pavilion. According to Wisden, Nabi is the first-ever player in the history of the Duleep Trophy to take four wickets in four consecutive deliveries.
His devastating spell helped bundle East Zone out for 230 in reply to North Zone’s 405. Nabi finished with exceptional figures of 5 for 28 in 10.1 overs, securing a commanding 175-run first-innings lead for his side. With this performance, he also joined the elite list of bowlers to take a hat-trick in the tournament, alongside Indian legend Kapil Dev in 1979 and leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule in 2001.
Nabi’s rise has been remarkable. Since making his first-class debut for Jammu and Kashmir in 2020, where he impressed with a three-wicket haul against Karnataka, his career trajectory has seen both setbacks and breakthroughs. After bagging 24 wickets in his debut season at an average of 18.50, he endured two years without a first-class appearance. But his return was emphatic—last season he demolished batting line-ups with 49 wickets from nine Ranji Trophy matches at a stunning average of 13.08.
Nabi’s feat has not only brought the North Zone closer to a semi-final berth in the ongoing Duleep Trophy but also cemented his place as one of the most exciting fast bowlers to emerge from Jammu and Kashmir in recent years. For cricket fans in the Valley and beyond, Friday’s spell will be remembered as a watershed moment in domestic cricket history.
