Hat-Tricks in Cricket: Rules, History, and Notable Examples
A hat-trick occurs when a bowler takes three wickets with three consecutive deliveries. It is one of cricket's rarest achievements. This guide covers the hat-trick rules, history of the term, notable hat-trick bowlers, and the record for most hat-tricks in international cricket.
A hat-trick in cricket occurs when a bowler takes three wickets with three consecutive deliveries — the rarest single-over individual achievement in the sport. The deliveries don't need to be in the same over (the third wicket of one over and first two of the next count as a hat-trick, or three consecutive wickets spanning overs). The term 'hat-trick' originated in cricket (not football as commonly assumed) — in Victorian-era cricket, a bowler who achieved three consecutive wickets was awarded a hat by his club as a reward.
Test Hat-Trick History
The first Test hat-trick was taken by Fred Spofforth (Australia) in 1879. Notable Test hat-tricks: Wasim Akram is the only bowler to take two Test hat-tricks — one vs West Indies (Lahore, 1990) and one vs Sri Lanka (Lahore, 1999). Ryan Sidebottom took a Test hat-trick for England vs New Zealand in 2008. Harbhajan Singh's 2001 Kolkata hat-trick (vs Australia) in a famous India comeback match is the most celebrated in recent history. Stuart Broad vs Sri Lanka at Leeds in 2014 took a hat-trick inside two overs.
T20 Hat-Tricks
T20 hat-tricks are slightly more common than Test hat-tricks because batsmen attack more aggressively and take more risks — increasing the likelihood of successive dismissals in a short burst. Lasith Malinga holds the record for T20I hat-tricks with 3 (2011, 2012, 2019). Samuel Badree, Hasan Ali, and Curtis Campher (four in four balls for Ireland vs Netherlands, 2021) have all taken T20I hat-tricks. The T20I hat-trick is now celebrated but no longer considered exceptional — there have been approximately 15-20 T20I hat-tricks.
IPL and Domestic Hat-Tricks
IPL hat-tricks: multiple IPL hat-tricks have been taken across the competition's history, with death-over specialists most frequently achieving them. Amit Mishra holds the IPL hat-trick record (3 hat-tricks). Domestic hat-tricks are most common in club cricket — at the village and community level, where batting conditions are variable and bowling skill can dominate. The hat-trick remains a celebrated moment at every level of the game, from international to club cricket.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hat-trick in cricket?
A hat-trick in cricket occurs when a bowler takes three wickets with three consecutive deliveries. The deliveries can span across overs (e.g., the last ball of one over and first two of the next). It is one of cricket's rarest achievements — there have been approximately 45-50 Test hat-tricks in cricket history across 145+ years of Test cricket. The term 'hat-trick' originated in cricket in the Victorian era.
Who has taken the most hat-tricks in cricket?
Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) has the most international hat-tricks — 3 T20I hat-tricks and 1 ODI hat-trick. Wasim Akram (Pakistan) is the only bowler to take 2 Test hat-tricks. In terms of all formats combined, Malinga's 4 international hat-tricks makes him cricket's most prolific hat-trick bowler. The IPL hat-trick record belongs to Amit Mishra with 3 IPL hat-tricks.
What is the origin of the term hat-trick?
The term 'hat-trick' originated in cricket — not football as sometimes claimed. In Victorian-era cricket (1850s-1880s), a bowler who took three consecutive wickets was awarded a hat by their club as a prize for the rare achievement. The term spread from cricket to other sports (football, hockey) and is now used globally in sport to describe any three consecutive successes.