Bihar fast bowler Shabbir Khan announced himself on the domestic stage with a breathtaking performance in the Plate Group final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, producing one of the most destructive spells in the tournament's history.
The 28-year-old right-arm pacer ripped through Manipur's batting line-up, claiming a hat-trick and four wickets in a single over to script a career-defining moment in Ranchi.
Manipur, after winning the toss, chose to bat first but barely had time to settle before Shabbir struck. With just five runs on the board, the Bihar seamer made an early breakthrough, clean bowling opener Karnjeet on the fourth ball of his opening over. What followed shortly after was an extraordinary burst of fast bowling that completely changed
the course of the final.
The fifth over of Manipur's innings turned into a nightmare for the batters. From the second delivery, Shabbir went on a rampage, removing Langlonnyamba, Santosh and Johnson off consecutive balls to complete a stunning hat-trick. While the fifth ball of the over brought temporary respite, the last delivery saw Priyojit dismissed, giving Shabbir four wickets in the same over. All four wickets fell for the addition of just one run, leaving Manipur reeling at 19.
Shabbir's impact did not end there. He returned in his next over to dismiss Jameson, adding a sixth wicket to his tally. Later, Kishan Singha became his seventh victim as Manipur were eventually bowled out for 169. The pacer finished with remarkable figures of 7 for 30 from his opening spell of five overs, which included a maiden. Six of his seven wickets came in that initial burst, underlining his dominance with the new ball.
This extraordinary spell stands as the best List A performance of Shabbir Khan's career and places him firmly in the spotlight of Indian domestic cricket. Born on March 31, 1997, Shabbir Bashir Khan has steadily worked his way through the ranks despite Bihar's limited exposure on the domestic circuit.
He made his first-class debut for Bihar on January 3, 2020, during the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy season. A little over a year later, on February 20, 2021, he earned his List A debut in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Known for his ability to generate movement and hit hard lengths, Shabbir has often been Bihar's strike bowler, leading the attack in pressure situations.
His sensational showing in the Plate Group final could prove to be a turning point, potentially opening doors to greater opportunities and putting him on the radar beyond Bihar's domestic setup.
