Nitish Kumar Reddy revives T20 World Cup hopes with Syed Mushtaq Ali hat-trick

Nitish Kumar Reddy, currently out of India’s T20 setup, has reignited his prospects for the upcoming T20 World Cup by claiming a hat-trick in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Friday. The Andhra all-rounder dismissed Harsh Gawli, Harpreet Singh, and Rajat Patidar in the third over, making a strong statement at a time when Shivam Dube’s struggles in the ongoing T20I series against South Africa have raised concerns. With Dube’s form dipping, selectors may be compelled to reassess their options, keeping Reddy firmly in the conversation.

Reddy, who recently featured in India’s Test and ODI squads against South Africa, was not included in the T20I squad following Hardik Pandya’s return after a three-month injury layoff.

Against Madhya Pradesh, Reddy delivered an impressive spell, finishing with figures of 3/17 in three overs. However, his efforts couldn’t prevent an Andhra defeat, as Patidar’s side clinched a four-wicket win with 15 balls remaining. Reddy’s early strikes had reduced Madhya Pradesh to 14/3, but Rishabh Chouhan and Rahul Batham steadied the chase to secure victory.

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Despite the loss, Andhra secured four points to start their Super League campaign in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. With the bat, Reddy came in at No. 4 but managed only 25 off 27 balls, struggling to rotate strike under mounting pressure. Andhra’s innings never gained momentum after being put in to bat first, eventually getting bowled out for 112 in 19.1 overs. Srikar Bharat was the top scorer with 39 off 31, hitting four boundaries and two sixes.

Reddy was also part of India’s XI in the Guwahati Test, which India lost by a massive 408 runs to South Africa. His selection came under fire after he played a reckless shot in the second innings, at a time when India needed to bat out the day to force a draw.