Hat-Trick in Cricket — Definition, Rules & Famous Examples
A hat-trick is three wickets from three consecutive deliveries. Learn the exact rules (do they have to be in the same over?), the rarity of the achievement, and some of the most famous hat-tricks in Test and World Cup history.
A hat-trick in cricket is when a bowler takes three wickets from three consecutive deliveries. It is one of the game's rarest achievements — rarer in Test cricket than a Test century, and celebrated with the bowler being awarded a commemorative cap or ball. The term originates from the Victorian-era practice of awarding a hat to a bowler who took three consecutive wickets.
Rules: must the three wickets be in the same over?
No. The three wickets must be consecutive deliveries — each delivery must take a wicket — but they do not need to be in the same over. The most common cross-over hat-tricks span two overs: the bowler takes a wicket on the last ball of one over, then takes wickets on the first two balls of their next over. Hat-tricks can even span two innings (a wicket at the end of one innings and two at the start of the next), or — in rare tournament situations — two matches.
Does a no-ball or wide break the sequence?
Yes. A no-ball or wide counts as a delivery and breaks the hat-trick sequence. If a bowler takes a wicket, then bowls a no-ball, then takes another wicket, this is not a hat-trick — the no-ball delivery separates the two dismissals. Wide balls similarly break the sequence because they are legal deliveries (even though they are extras).
Famous hat-tricks
- Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) took four consecutive wicket-taking deliveries vs South Africa in the 2007 ODI World Cup — effectively two hat-tricks in a row, unique in World Cup history.
- Peter Siddle took a hat-trick on his birthday vs England at the Gabba in 2010 — the first Test hat-trick at the ground.
- Wasim Akram took two Test hat-tricks, the only bowler ever to do so — vs Sri Lanka in 1999 and vs Zimbabwe in 1999.
- Stuart Broad took a hat-trick vs India at Trent Bridge in 2011.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hat-trick in cricket?
A hat-trick is three wickets from three consecutive legal deliveries by the same bowler. The deliveries can span overs, or even innings, as long as they are consecutive and each results in a wicket.
Do hat-trick deliveries have to be in the same over?
No. A hat-trick can span two overs (last ball of one, first two of the next) or even two innings. They simply must be three consecutive deliveries that each result in a wicket, with no non-wicket deliveries between them.
Does a no-ball break a hat-trick in cricket?
Yes. A no-ball is a legal delivery and breaks the hat-trick sequence. The bowler must take wickets on three successive legal deliveries with no no-balls, wides, or non-wicket deliveries between them.