Hat-tricks always hold a special place in the game of cricket. This is because unlike centuries and now even double centuries, which have emerged to be quite common, hat-tricks are rare events, and a bowler’s success is scarce in the game.
With cricket being a batters game, bowlers have nothing among the rules for themselves; hence, their success is considered an epitome. With Patty Cummins striking with a hat-trick against Bangladesh followed by a hat-trick chance in the following game against Afghanistan, before David Warner dropped a sitter denying him consecutive hat-tricks.
The Aussie World Cup winning skipper has struck three times against Bangladesh in the opening game of the Super-8. The Australian pacer dismissed Hridoy, Mahmadullah, and Mehdi Hasan to complete his hat-trick.
With Cummins’ latest antics, several bowlers resurface who have struck thrice on different occasions in both T20Is and ODIs.
Thisara Perera
The Sri Lankan all-rounder is an unlikely name on the list; he registered his ODI hat-trick back in 2012 against Pakistan, as he dismissed Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi, and Sarfaraz Ahmed.
After that, he turned to T20Is and took his first hat trick in 2016 against India and dismissed the likes of Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, and Hardik Pandya to enter the elite list of players.
Wanindu Hasaranga
When it comes to hat tricks, the Lankans have always seemed to step up, though Australia remains the side with the most number of hat tricks. The modern-generation Lankan spinner is considered one of the finest spinners in the world, featuring in leagues around the world.
Hasaranga picked his first set of three wickets against Zimbabwe in ODIs, and later in 2021, he went on to dismiss Markram, Bavuma, and Pretorius in the World Cup.
Kagiso Rabada
The South African maestro is undoubtedly one of the greatest of the generation; he went on to secure his hat-trick in ODIs by dismissing Tamim, Mahmadullah, and Litton Das back in 2015.
The Protea quick then wreaked havoc against England in T20Is in 2021 when he picked Morgan, Woakes, and Jordan in his 3 consecutive deliveries.
Brett Lee
The legendary fast bowler from Australia went on to be the first ever bowler in the history of the game to have taken a hat trick in both an ODI as well as a T20I game.
He secured his first ODI hat-trick in the World Cup 2003 when he got 3 wickets against Kenya and then secured 3 wickets against Bangladesh in the inaugural T20 World Cup.
Lasith Malinga
This name is not unknown when it comes to bowling with insanity. Imagine a legendary pacer with multiple ODI hat tricks alongside T20 hat tricks as well. Also with several compelling 4-wicket hauls, only one name strikes our mind: Malinga.
Known for his round arm action and insane unplayable yorkers, the Lankan pacer has picked 3 ODI hat tricks, the first being a 4 ball 4 wickets against South Africa in the 2007 ODI World Cup. His next two followed in the next World Cup against Kenya and Australia.
His first hat trick in international T20s came against Bangladesh before he once again took a 4-ball 4-down spell against the Kiwis in 2019 and went on to be the only bowler in the history of the game to have taken 4 wickets in 4 balls twice.
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