Top 5 Bowlers with the Most Hat tricks
In this article, we are going to look at the top five bowlers with the most hat tricks in international cricket. Sri Lankan right-arm fast bowler Lasith Malinga with five hat tricks is the clear leader of the pack, while Pakistan’s left-arm fast bowler Wasim Akram with four follows in second place. Malinga is also the only bowler to take four wickets in four balls on two separate occasions.
The following other players have taken two international hat tricks each: Sri Lankan right-arm medium-fast bowler Thisara Perera, Australian right-arm off-spin bowler Hugh Trumble, Australian leg-break bowler Jimmy Matthews, English right-arm medium pacer Broad, Pakistani off spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, Sri Lankan left-arm fast bowler Chaminda Vaas, left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav, Australian paceman Brett Lee and New Zealand’s left-arm fast bowler Trent Boult. Hugh Trumble, Stuart Broad and Jimmy Mathews have registered their respective hat tricks in Test matches. Brett Lee and Thisara Perera have each recorded a T20I hat trick and an ODI hat trick. Saqlain Mushtaq, Chaminda Vaas and Kuldeep Yadav have all recorded two hat tricks each in ODIs. While Hugh Trumble achieved his hat tricks in 1902 and 1904, Jimmy Matthews got both of his in May 1912. Stuart Broad achieved his hattricks in July 2011 and June 2014. Saqlain Mushtaq got his in November 1996 and June 1999. Chaminda Vaas accomplished his two hat tricks in December 2001 and February 2003, while Brett Lee achieved his feats in March 2003 and September 2007.
For the purpose of this article, we have included the three youngest players in this list who are still active, namely Kuldeep Yadav, Thisara Perera and Trent Boult.
Contents
1. Lasith Malinga (5 Hat tricks)
Malinga’s record includes 3 in ODIs and 2 in T20Is.
Contents
Malinga took his first ODI hat trick against South Africa on 28 March 2007 in Providence during the ICC World Cup with the wickets of Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis and Makhaya Ntini off successive deliveries but could not prevent South Africa from chasing down a target of 210 with a wicket to spare. His 2nd ODI hat trick came against Kenya in Colombo on 1 March 2011 during the ICC World Cup, including the scalps of Tanmay Mishra, Peter Ongondo and Shem Ngoche, paving the way for Sri Lanka to chase down a target of 143 with 9 wickets in hand. Lasith’s 3rd ODI hat trick against Australia in Colombo on 22 August 2011 – including wickets of Johnson, Hastings and Doherty – helped restrict Australia to 211/6, enabling Sri Lanka to win with 6 wickets to spare.
Malinga took his 1st T20I hat trick – wickets of Mushfiqur Rahim, Mashrafe Mortaza and Mehdi Hasan – against Bangladesh in Colombo on 6 April 2017 to help restrict Bangladesh to 176/9 but could not prevent Sri Lanka from losing by 45 runs after they were bowled out for 131. His 2nd T20I hat trick with the dismissals of Munro, Rutherford, Grandhomme and Taylor came against New Zealand in Pallikele on 6 September 2019 to help bowl out the Kiwis for 88 in response to Sri Lanka’s 126.
2. Wasim Akram2. Wasim Akram (4 Hat tricks)
at tricks include two each in ODIs and Tests.
Akram took his first Test hat trick against Sri Lanka in Lahore on 6 March 1999 during the Asian Test Championship when he dismissed Kaluwitharana, Bandaratilleke and Wickramasinghe in successive balls in a drawn game. Akram’s 2nd Test hat trick – wickets of Gunawardene, Vaas and Jayawardene – came 8 days later against Sri Lanka in Dhaka in the same competition to help bowl them out for 188, paving the way for an innings win for Pakistan.
Akram’s first ODI hat trick, including the wickets of Dujon, Marshall and Ambrose, came against the West Indies in Sharjah on 14 October 1989 in a Champions Trophy group match to help bowl out WI for 239 when they were chasing a target of 251. Akram took his 2nd ODI hat trick, bowling out Merv Hughes, Rackemann and Alderman, against Australia in Sharjah in the final of the Austral-Asia Cup on 4 May 1990 when Australia were bowled out for 230 in a run chase of 267.
3. Kuldeep Yadav (2 Ha3. Kuldeep Yadav (2 Hat tricks)
ric-life.com/player/kuldeep-yadav/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kuldeep Yadav took his first hat trick in the 2nd ODI of a series on Australia’s tour of India in Kolkata on 21 September 2017. India batted first and scored 252. When Australia batted, Yadav dismissed Mathew Wade, Ashton Agar and Pat Cummins in successive deliveries to help bowl out the tourists for 202, allowing India to register a 50-run win. His 2nd hat trick came in the 2nd ODI of a series on the West Indies tour of India on 18 December 2009 in Vishakhapatnam. In that game, India batted first and scored 387/5. When the West Indies batted, Yadav dismissed Shai Hope, Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph in successive deliveries to help bowl out the tourists for 280, paving the way for India to record a 107-run victory.
4. Thisara Perera (2 Hat4. Thisara Perera (2 Hat tricks)
/www.cric-life.com/player/thisara-perera/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Thisara Perera took his first hat trick – wickets of Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi and Sarfraz Ahmed – in an ODI against Pakistan in Colombo on 16 June 2012 to help bowl out Pakistan for 199 in a run chase of 244. Perera’s 2nd hat trick with the wickets of Hardik Pandya, Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh came in a T20I against India in Ranchi on 12 February 2016, though in a lost cause.
5. Trent Boult (2 Hat tricks)5. Trent Boult (2 Hat tricks)
ium bowler Trent Boult took his first hat trick in the 1st ODI of a series on New Zealand’s tour of the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi on 7 November 2018. In that game, New Zealand batted first and scored 266/9. When Pakistan batted, Boult accounted for the wickets of Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam and Mohd Hafeez in successive deliveries to help bowl out Pakistan for 219 to render New Zealander the winners of the game by 47 runs. Boult’s 2nd hat trick came against Australia at Lord’s on 29 June 2019 in a group match of the ICC World Cup. In that game, Australia batted first. Boult dismissed Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Starc and Jason Behrendorff to help restrict Australia to a score of 243/9. In reply, New Zealand were bowled out for 157 to enable Australia to win the game by 86 runs.
4. Thisara Perera (2 Hat tricks)
/www.cric-life.com/player/thisara-perera/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Thisara Perera took his first hat trick – wickets of Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi and Sarfraz Ahmed – in an ODI against Pakistan in Colombo on 16 June 2012 to help bowl out Pakistan for 199 in a run chase of 244. Perera’s 2nd hat trick with the wickets of Hardik Pandya, Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh came in a T20I against India in Ranchi on 12 February 2016, though in a lost cause.5. Trent Boult (2 Hat tricks)5. Trent Boult (2 Hat tricks)
ium bowler Trent Boult took his first hat trick in the 1st ODI of a series on New Zealand’s tour of the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi on 7 November 2018. In that game, New Zealand batted first and scored 266/9. When Pakistan batted, Boult accounted for the wickets of Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam and Mohd Hafeez in successive deliveries to help bowl out Pakistan for 219 to render New Zealander the winners of the game by 47 runs. Boult’s 2nd hat trick came against Australia at Lord’s on 29 June 2019 in a group match of the ICC World Cup. In that game, Australia batted first. Boult dismissed Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Starc and Jason Behrendorff to help restrict Australia to a score of 243/9. In reply, New Zealand were bowled out for 157 to enable Australia to win the game by 86 runs.
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