Pakistan’s right-arm seamer, Mohammad Abbas, picked up 9 wickets in the match as he guided Hampshire to a win over Gloucestershire in the ongoing County Championship. Abbas was magnificent in both the innings as Hampshire registered their third victory in the competition to move to the second spot on the table.
Abbas was exceptional in the first innings as he picked up his first five-wicket haul of the season. He finished with figures of 6/45 as Gloucestershire were bowled out for 179.
Muhammad Abbas on fire 🔥
He took 6️⃣ wickets in an impressive bowling performance 👏#LVCountyChamp pic.twitter.com/yAAoibrVJ3
— County Championship (@CountyChamp) May 6, 2022
The 32-year-old started off the innings in incredible fashion as he picked up 4 wickets in his first spell of 7 overs. He came back later on in the innings to pick up two more wickets as Hampshire gained a 163-run lead.
Gloucestershire batters were unable to handle Abbas in the second innings as well. Chasing a target of 368, Gloucestershire were bowled out for 280 runs with Abbas picking up three crucial wickets in the innings. He finished the innings as the top wicket-taker with figures of 3/62.
And there's the breakthrough!
Who else but @RealMAbbas226 who takes out Harris' stumps with a beauty ☝️
GLO: 54/1 (17.6)
Watch LIVE ⤵️https://t.co/2pqYbbyUIT pic.twitter.com/iUhB4MU641
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) May 7, 2022
🔥 𝐌𝐎 🔥
Tom Lace clips the ball to James Fuller and we have our sixth 👊
GLO: 208-6 (87.4), require a further 160 runs to win.
Watch LIVE ▶️ https://t.co/7PgVy3nVjv pic.twitter.com/DVLE9RS6Fe
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) May 8, 2022
DOM GOODMAN IS OUT! 💥
The torment of 2021 is out after just 15 balls in 2022 🙌@RealMAbbas226 has his third of the innings and is one away from 1️⃣0️⃣ wickets in the match 😍
GLO: 218-7 (91.4), require a further 150 runs to win.
Watch LIVE ▶️ https://t.co/fhNVqcxaH5 pic.twitter.com/KhZC18KEl8
— Hampshire Cricket (@hantscricket) May 8, 2022
Abbas is now the second-highest wicket-taker in the first division of the County Championship with 22 wickets to his name. Abbas has picked up these wickets at an average of 17.81 in the 5 matches he has played so far in the championship.
He follows fellow Pakistani pacer, Hasan Ali, who has picked up 24 wickets at an average of 18.50 in 4 matches in the competition so far.
The medium-pacer will be hoping to catch the attention of the national team selectors and stake his claim back in the Test side. Abbas last played international cricket in 2021 on Pakistan’s tour of the West Indies. Abbas was recently selected as a reserve player in the Test side for the series against Australia and he will be hoping to break into the squad in the upcoming series against Sri Lanka.
