What Counts as a Hat-Trick in Cricket? Rules and Rare Cases
Few moments in cricket get a crowd on its feet like a bowler standing at the top of the mark with two wickets from the last two balls. Everyone in the ground knows what is at stake: a hat-trick. Yet when it happens, fans often argue about whether it really counts. Did the run-out count? What if the over ended in between? What about a no-ball?
This guide explains the basic definition, the edge cases that cause confusion, and a few famous examples that show how unusual hat-tricks can be.
The Basic Definition
A hat-trick in cricket is when one bowler takes wickets with three consecutive deliveries in the same match. The key words are “one bowler” and “consecutive”. The three wickets must all be credited to that bowler, and there must be no other ball bowled by that bowler in between.
The term is older than most people think. It is usually traced to nineteenth-century England, where a bowler who took three wickets in three balls was reportedly given a hat as a reward. Other sports, including football and hockey, later borrowed the phrase for three goals by one player.
Which Dismissals Count
Only dismissals credited to the bowler can form part of a hat-trick. These include:
- Bowled
- Caught (including caught behind and caught and bowled)
- Leg before wicket (LBW)
- Stumped
- Hit wicket
A run-out is not credited to the bowler, so it does not count, even if it happens on the bowler’s delivery. If a bowler takes two wickets, then a batter is run out on the third ball, the fans may celebrate three wickets in three balls, but the official record will not list a hat-trick.
Edge Cases That Confuse Fans
The three deliveries do not have to come in the same over. A bowler can take a wicket with the last ball of one over and the first two balls of the next over they bowl. Because the bowler’s deliveries are what matter, the balls bowled by the bowler at the other end in between do not break the sequence.
In Test cricket, a hat-trick can even stretch across two innings. If a bowler takes the last wicket of the first innings and then the first two wickets of the second innings with their next deliveries, it still counts. Australian fast bowler Merv Hughes completed a famous hat-trick against the West Indies in 1988 that was spread over two overs and two innings.
A hat-trick also cannot be split between matches. The sequence resets at the end of each game.
Hat-Tricks Across Formats
Hat-tricks happen in Tests, one-day internationals and T20 cricket, but each format creates different conditions. In Tests, bowlers usually attack with close catchers, which makes edges more likely to be taken. In shorter formats, batters coming in late are often trying to hit every ball, which can produce quick wickets at the death.
Bangladesh has its own place in this history. Alok Kapali became the first Bangladesh bowler to take a Test hat-trick, against Pakistan in Peshawar in 2003. If you want to see how Bangladesh bowlers have performed in this area over the years, this list of Bangladesh Test hat-tricks collects the cases in one place.
Rarer Than a Hat-Trick
Some bowlers have gone even further. Taking four wickets in four balls is extremely rare at international level. Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga did it in a 2007 World Cup match against South Africa, and later repeated the feat in a T20 international against New Zealand in 2019. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan also took four in four in a T20 international against Ireland in 2019.
Another unusual record belongs to Australia’s Jimmy Matthews, who took two hat-tricks in the same Test match against South Africa in 1912, one in each innings.
How to Follow a Hat-Trick Ball
When a bowler is on a hat-trick, captains often bring in extra close fielders, such as a crowded slip cordon or a short leg, to give the bowler every chance. The incoming batter usually focuses only on surviving the one delivery. Watching these field changes is part of the drama, and it tells you a lot about how the captain reads the situation.
On the scorecard, a hat-trick is not shown with a special symbol in most formats. You can usually spot it by reading the fall of wickets and the ball-by-ball commentary, where three consecutive wickets will appear next to the same bowler’s name.
Final Thoughts
A hat-trick is simple to define but full of small rules that decide whether it goes into the record books. Remember the three checks: one bowler, three consecutive deliveries, and all three wickets credited to the bowler. With that in mind, you will be able to settle most arguments in the stands.
For more cricket explainers, Bangladesh match coverage and general guides written for local fans, you can browse the Agents Not Out cricket and guide hub.