Rohit Sharma didn’t realise it was a hat-trick!

It was anybody's game at the 15-over mark. Deccan Chargers, who batted first, at that stage had been 99 for four while Mumbai Indians had reached 100 for four, chasing 146 to win.

Rohit Sharma didn't realise it was a hat-trick!

It was anybody's game at the 15-over mark. Deccan Chargers, who batted first, at that stage had been 99 for four while Mumbai Indians had reached 100 for four, chasing 146 to win.

Then on, it was all about handling the pressure. Skipper Adam Gilchrist's decision to give the ball to Rohit Sharma turned out to be a masterstroke.

Sharma turned the game on its head with a double strike in the 16th over, conceding just two runs. And then he claimed a wicket off the first ball of his second over, 18th of the innings, to claim a hat-trick.

The Mumbai boy's dream spell of 2-0-6-4 buried the team from his home city as Chargers won by the crucial game by 19 runs.

"Of course taking a hat-trick is a big achievement and I am happy. But, honestly I didn't know I had completed a hat-trick until one of my teammates told me about it, after that I started celebrating," said a beaming Sharma.

Talking about his class act, he said: "The plan was to try and bowl dot balls because if we could do that then it would increase the pressure on their batsmen and they would get out trying to go for the big hits. That is what happened. Abhishek Nayar's wicket was the turning point."

Sharma doesn't like being called a part-timer. "I always had confidence in my bowling, I have done well whenever I have got a chance to bowl at the international level and for Mumbai as well."

For those who have followed his career from school days were aware of his bowling prowess. Often for his school team, Swami Vivekanand, Borivli, he would bowl from start to end from one side.

"This was my second hat-trick. I remember a hat-trick in a Harris Shield match as a 14-year-old, when I took six wickets and scored a hundred. I remember getting a big headline next day in the newspaper," said Sharma.

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels