Bowling Hat-Tricks in Cricket — History and Records Explained
What a hat-trick is in cricket, how it is achieved, and the history of famous hat-tricks in Test and limited-overs cricket.
What Is a Hat-Trick in Cricket?
A hat-trick in cricket is when a bowler takes three wickets with three consecutive deliveries. The three deliveries do not need to be in the same over — the final wicket of one over and the first two of the next count, as do wickets spanning across two innings (the last wicket of one innings and the first two of the next). The term originated from the Victorian cricket tradition of awarding a bowler a hat for this achievement.
Hat-Trick Records
- Most Test hat-tricks: Stuart Broad (England) has taken 2 Test hat-tricks, one of only a few bowlers to achieve the feat twice
- Most hat-tricks across all internationals: Lasith Malinga took 4 international hat-tricks (1 Test, 3 ODI) — the most by any bowler
- First Test hat-trick: Billy Bates of England against Australia in Melbourne, 1882–83
- First T20I hat-trick: Brett Lee for Australia against Bangladesh in 2007
- Hat-tricks in consecutive matches: Chaminda Vaas achieved this feat in ODI cricket
Famous Test Hat-Tricks
Peter Loader of England took a hat-trick against West Indies at Headingley in 1957. Hugh Trumble of Australia took two Test hat-tricks — in 1902 against England and again in 1904. In the modern era, Stuart Broad's hat-trick against India at Trent Bridge in 2011 and Wasim Akram's against Australia in 1994 are among the most celebrated. Hat-tricks in Tests are relatively rare — across more than 2500 Test matches, fewer than 50 have been recorded.
Frequently asked questions
Can a hat-trick span two different matches?
No. A hat-trick must occur within the same match. Three wickets across the last ball of one match and the first two of the next do not count. The wickets must be consecutive within the same match, though they can span two innings of that match or two overs within an innings.
What is a 'super hat-trick'?
A super hat-trick or 'four in four' refers to four wickets in four consecutive balls. Lasith Malinga achieved this twice in international cricket — against South Africa in the 2007 World Cup and against New Zealand in 2019.