The 20-year-old right-hander did the treble during the third game of the five-match series against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club ground yesterday to become the 19th bowler to achieve the feat in the game's shorter-version history.

But the young bowler's party was marred by the Tigers' stunning two-wicket defeat in the match as his new-ball partner Mashrafee Bin Mortuza gave away 19 runs in the final over.

Incidentally, Shahadat became the first bowler to end up on the losing side even after accomplishing such a feat.

He, however, is the second Bangladeshi bowler to take a hattrick in international cricket as Alok Kapali did it in Test cricket against Pakistan at Peshawar in August 2003 at the age of 19.

The promising fast bowler, who was discovered during a talent-hunt camp in Narayanganj, bowled his heart out in the 39th over of the game to get rid of Tafadzwa Mufambisi, Elton Chigumbura and Prosper Utseya in successive deliveries to ensure the treble in his eighth one-day appearance.

In the third ball of that over debutant Mufambisi edged a short ball outside the off stump that was easily taken by wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud. Then stepped in the dangerous Chigumbura, hero of the home team's victory in the first game, and within a blink of an eye Shahadat speared in the fourth delivery, a toe-crusher, to have the young batsman plumb in front.

With the lanky paceman on a hattrick, it was up to skipper Utseya to spare the home team's blushes, but Shahadat took the edge through to Mashud and the stand-in skipper made no mistake to spark off jubilation all around.

Shahadat, nicknamed as Rajib, is naturally aggressive, and above everything, has raw pace and in this series he has provided the evidence that he can also be a good bowler in the abridged version of the game.

His debut in Test cricket against England at Lord's in May 2005 and in one-dayers against Kenya in March this year might have not been impressive ones, but his rapid progress in the international level has made many to believe that he has it in him what it takes to become one of the leading bowlers of the country.