Shreyas Gopal Achieves Hat-Trick Against Baroda In SMAT 2024 Match

In a thrilling display at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2024, Karnataka's leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal achieved a hat-trick against Baroda. This remarkable feat took place at the Emerald High School Ground in Indore.

Gopal's performance was pivotal in Karnataka's defence of their 170-run total. Baroda seemed on track with 102/1 after 10 overs, largely due to Shashwat Rawat's impressive 63 from 37 balls. However, Gopal changed the game's course in the following over.

In the 11th over, Gopal dismissed Rawat, who had built an 89-run partnership with Bhanu Pania. He then bowled two exceptional deliveries to remove Hardik and Krunal Pandya for golden ducks, completing his hat-trick.

This spell of 4/19 also saw him dismiss Pania, who scored 42 off 24 balls. Despite Gopal's efforts, Baroda chased down the target with Vishnu Solanki's unbeaten 28 leading them to a four-wicket victory.

This hat-trick marked Gopal's third in T20 cricket and his second in SMAT, making him the first bowler to achieve this twice in the tournament. He now shares the record for most T20 hat-tricks with Amit Mishra.

Gopal's previous SMAT hat-trick occurred in 2019 against Haryana when he dismissed Nitin Saini, Jayant Yadav, and Amit Mishra. In IPL history, his notable hat-trick for Rajasthan Royals in 2019 included dismissing Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Marcus Stoinis.

Current Form and Future Prospects

Currently leading the wicket-taking charts in SMAT 2024 with 14 wickets at an average of 8.92 from six matches, Gopal is proving his prowess. His form is promising for his upcoming IPL season with Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

The leg-spinner was acquired by CSK for ₹30 lakh in the 2025 auction. At age 31, he continues to demonstrate his value as a reliable match-winner in T20 cricket.