Nitish Kumar Reddy signals his World Cup intent with a hat-trick against Madhya Pradesh

Nitish Kumar Reddy wasn’t merely bowling an over; he sparked a surge that electrified the entire Super League opener. Andhra had just begun to stabilize after a rocky start when Reddy took the ball and turned the game around. Three balls, three wickets, and suddenly, Madhya Pradesh was confronted with a collapse that caught everyone off guard. It seemed more like a bold statement than a simple bowling performance, particularly as the competition for India’s T20 World Cup spot intensifies. With a vital position still up for grabs, this hat-trick arrived at the most opportune moment.

Nitish Kumar’s hat-trick that shook the Super League

In the opening match of the SMAT 2025-26 Super League Group A, Andhra Pradesh batted first after losing the toss. However, it was Reddy’s third over during Madhya Pradesh’s chase that really caught everyone’s attention. With the visitors only needing 113 runs to win, Reddy took apart their top order with impressive skill.

He kicked things off by bowling opener Harsh Gawli for 5, swinging the ball back to clip the off-stump.

On the very next ball, Harpreet Bhatia was trapped lbw for a golden duck, with the ball nipping in to beat his defensive prod. Reddy then completed the hat trick by bowling out Madhya Pradesh skipper and Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar with a fierce yorker that the batter chopped onto his stumps. In a flash, Madhya Pradesh was down to 14 for 3 after just three overs.

🚨 𝗛𝗔𝗧-𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗧 🚨

Moment of sheer brilliance by Nitish Kumar Reddy as he completed a superb hat-trick against Madhya Pradesh in the Super League Stage in Pune 👏#SMAT | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @NKReddy07 pic.twitter.com/3iv0wo1kFI

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) December 12, 2025

Reddy took 3 wickets for just 17 runs in three overs, achieving his first T20 hat-trick and setting a personal best in this format. The official X account of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Domestic celebrated this as a “moment of sheer brilliance,” posting, “Moment of sheer brilliance by Nitish Kumar Reddy as he completed a superb hat-trick against Madhya Pradesh in the Super League Stage in Pune #SMAT | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @NKReddy07.”

How Nitish Kumar Reddy’s hat-trick strengthens his case for India’s T20 World Cup squad

The SMAT hat-trick comes at a crucial moment for Reddy. Left out of India’s T20I team for the current series against South Africa because Hardik Pandya is back after a three-month injury layoff, Reddy observed from a distance as middle-order all-rounder Shivam Dube faced difficulties. Dube’s poor performance, low runs and minimal influence has sparked discussions about other options.

This performance happens while Shivam Dube is struggling in the current T20I series against South Africa, so the selectors may have to consider Reddy if Dube keeps dropping in the rankings.

With the 2026 T20 World Cup coming up soon in Sri Lanka and India, Reddy’s all-around abilities, fast seam bowling, solid middle-order batting, and great fielding make him a top contender. His IPL success with Sunrisers Hyderabad, especially when he smashed a key six during the 2024 final chase, has already earned him the title of a finisher.

At just 21, Reddy’s impressive domestic form could compel chief selector Ajit Agarkar to take action, especially if they manage Pandya’s workload well.