Taking a hat-trick in cricket is one of the rarest and most thrilling moments for any bowler. It requires immense skill, precision and steely courage. A hat-trick is when a bowler dismisses three batsmen in three consecutive balls in a single match. Over the years, the cricketing world has seen many hat-tricks in various formats, from World Cups to bilateral series.
Let’s see what the list of players who have taken hat-tricks shows us:
Player |
Match |
Venue |
Season |
Victims |
Brett Lee |
Australia v Bangladesh |
Cape Town |
2007/08 |
Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, Alok Kapali |
Jacob Oram |
New Zealand v Sri Lanka |
Colombo (RPS) |
2009 |
Angelo Mathews, CM Bandara, Kulasekara |
Tim Southee |
New Zealand v Pakistan |
Auckland |
2010/11 |
Younis Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal |
Thisara Perera |
Sri Lanka v India |
Ranchi |
2015/16 |
Hardik Pandya, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh |
Lasith Malinga |
Sri Lanka v Bangladesh |
Colombo |
2016/17 |
Mushfiqur Rahim, Mashrafe Mortaza, Mehedi Hasan Miraz |
Faheem Ashraf |
Pakistan v Sri Lanka |
Abu Dhabi |
2017/18 |
I Udana, M Udawatte, D Shanaka |
Rashid Khan |
Afghanistan v Ireland |
Dehradun |
2018/19 |
K O’Brien, G Dockrell, S Getkate, Simi Singh |
Lasith Malinga |
Sri Lanka v New Zealand |
Pallekele |
2019 |
C Munro, HD Rutherford, C de Grandhomme, Ross Taylor |
Mohammad Hasnain |
Pakistan v Sri Lanka |
Lahore |
2019/20 |
B Rajapaksa, D Shanaka, Jayasuriya |
Deepak Chahar |
India v Bangladesh |
Nagpur |
2019/20 |
Shafiul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Aminul Islam |
Curtis Campher |
Ireland v Netherlands |
Abu Dhabi |
2021/22 |
Ackermann, Ten Doeschate, Edwards |
Jason Holder |
West Indies v England |
Bridgetown |
2021/22 |
Jordan, Billings, Rashid, Mahmood |
Josh Little |
Ireland v New Zealand |
Adelaide |
2022/23 |
Kane Williamson, James Neesham, Santner |
Tim Southee |
India v New Zealand |
Mount Maunganui |
2022/23 |
Pandya, Hooda, Sundar |
Matt Henry |
New Zealand v Pakistan |
Lahore |
2023 |
Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi |
Sikandar Raza |
Rwanda v Zimbabwe |
Windhoek |
2023/24 |
Muhammad Nadir, Bimenyimana, Rukiriza |
Nuwan Thushara |
Sri Lanka v Bangladesh |
Sylhet |
2023/24 |
Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah |
Pat Cummins |
Australia v Afghanistan |
Kingstown |
2024 |
Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib |
Lockie Ferguson |
New Zealand v Sri Lanka |
Dambulla |
2024/25 |
Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka |
Mohammad Nawaz |
Pakistan v Afghanistan |
Sharjah |
2025 |
Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Ibrahim Zadran |
Further Reading: List of Hat-Tricks Players in ODIs Cricket History
Brett Lee (2007/08, Cape Town): The Australian fast bowler became the first player to take a T20I hat-trick. He dismissed Shakib Al Hasan and two others one after the other.
Lasith Malinga (Multiple): Also known as the “Yorker King”, Malinga is the only bowler to have taken multiple hat-tricks in both ODIs and T20Is. His four wickets against New Zealand in 2019 still stands as a landmark.
Deepak Chahar (Nagpur 2019): His hat-trick against Bangladesh came during his best T20I bowling figures (6/7).
Rashid Khan (2018/19): The Afghan magician stunned Ireland with four wickets in four balls, cementing his status as one of the world’s top spinners.
Pat Cummins (2024): The Australian captain took a brilliant hat-trick against Afghanistan. This is how he dismissed Rashid Khan, Karim Jannat and Gulbadin Naib in the T20 World Cup.
Hat-tricks are no longer limited to the traditional powerhouses. Bowlers from Nepal, Oman, PNG, Malaysia and other countries have also taken hat-tricks, signaling the rapid rise of the Associate Nations in global cricket. What makes this achievement even more exciting is that it reflects the expansion of cricket beyond its historical boundaries.
Unlike milestones like 50 runs or 100 wickets, a hat-trick happens in an instant and often changes the course of the game. It swings the momentum, excites the crowd and is etched forever in cricketing history.
A hat-trick is one of the most electrifying feats in cricket. From Brett Lee’s early T20I brilliance to Lasith Malinga’s magic, these moments are celebrated around the world. As the game spreads to new countries, we are seeing more and more bowlers etch their names into cricketing folklore. Be it ODIs, Tests or T20Is, each hat-trick is a reminder of the unpredictable beauty of cricket.
Check Also: List of Hat-Tricks Players in Tests Cricket History
Australia’s Brett Lee was the first bowler to take a T20I hat-trick against Bangladesh in Cape Town in 2007.
Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga holds the record, with 5 international hat-tricks across all formats.
Deepak Chahar (India) holds the record with figures of 6/7 against Bangladesh in 2019, which also includes a hat-trick.
Yes, many Associate Nation bowlers like Khawar Ali (Oman), Karan KC (Nepal) and Syazul Idrus (Malaysia) have taken a hat-trick.
Hat-tricks are rare because they require three consecutive wickets in a high-pressure environment. Batsmen change frequently, field settings change, and the pressure is very high, making it one of the most difficult feats in the game.