5 notable hat-tricks in 2019

The game of cricket, in recent times, has transformed quite a lot and favoured the batsmen. With T20 cricket grabbing eyeballs, the dynamics of the game have slowly shifted to handing the batsmen an advantage, while the bowlers have had to bear the brunt of being carted to all parts of the ground.

Also see – BPL Points Table

Given this visible domination, bowlers picking up a handful of wickets and in particular a hat-trick is a rare phenomenon. The year 2019 bore witness to a total of 10 hat-tricks across the three formats.

Jasprit Bumrah picked up the lone hat-trick in the Test format, while Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav were two of the three bowlers who picked up a hat-trick each in ODI cricket. The pace of the T20 format saw six different bowlers picking up hat-tricks, including Deepak Chahar's effort against Bangladesh.

On that note, here is a look at five notable hat-tricks in 2019.

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#5 Jasprit Bumrah (6/27 v West Indies, September 2019)

Bumrah claimed a hat-trick against West Indies in 2019 at Sabina Park

Indian pace sensation Jasprit Bumrah was the lone bowler to claim a hat-trick in Test cricket in 2019. He achieved this feat against West Indies at Sabina Park, also becoming only the third Indian bowler after Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan to pick a Test cricket hat-trick.

In September last year, on the second day of the second Test match, Bumrah dismissed Darren Bravo, Shamrah Brooks and Roston Chase to claim the hat-trick. While Bravo was caught by K.L. Rahul, the remaining two batsmen were dismissed leg before wicket to bring about the big moment.

Riding on Bumrah's hat-trick, India dismissed West Indies for a paltry score of 117 in response to India's first innings score of 416. India went on to win the Test comfortably by a margin of 257 runs and eventually claimed a 2-0 series win.

Bumrah's hat-trick was only the 44th hat-trick in the history of Test cricket and the first since August 2017.

#4 Kuldeep Yadav (3/52 v West Indies, December 2019)

Yadav claimed a hat-trick against West Indies

Kuldeep Yadav has been a welcome addition to the Indian limited-overs outfit since his debut in 2017 and in a short career of about 2 years, Kuldeep has picked up two hat-tricks in ODI cricket, the only Indian bowler to do so till date.

He picked up his first hat-trick against Australia at the Eden Gardens in 2017 as he removed Matthew Wade, Ashton Agar and Pat Cummins with some clever variations to pick up his maiden hat-trick.

He picked up his second most recently in 2019 and became the second Indian to pick up an ODI hat-trick in 2019 after Mohammad Shami. He achieved this feat against West Indies at Visakhapatnam. West Indies were 1-0 up in the three-match ODI series and were set a target of 388 to win the second ODI and clinch the series.

West Indies were 210/5 after 32.3 overs when the Kuldeep Yadav took matters into his own hands and derailed the visitors' chase. He first dismissed a well-set Shai Hope for 78 and then had Jason Holder stumped off his next delivery.

Next man in Alzarri Joseph could not prevent the hat-trick and lobbed an easy catch to Kedar Jadhav. Kuldeep's hat-trick led India to a 107-run victory in the ODI.

#3 Rashid Khan (5/27 v Ireland, February 2019)

Rashid Khan picked up 4 wickets in 4 balls

Rashid Khan has, over the years, made quite an impact with his mixed variations in the T20 format. In February 2019, Rashid created history by becoming the first bowler to claim 4 wickets in 4 balls in T20 internationals.

Facing off against Ireland at Dehradun, Rashid was the wrecker-in-chief for Afghanistan as he picked up a five-wicket haul, including a memorable maiden hat-trick in the shortest format of the game.

Rashid first had the well-set Kevin O' Brien edging to keeper' Shafiqullah in the final ball of the 16th over before he removed George Dockrell, Shane Getkate and Simi Singh off three consecutive deliveries in the 18th over and created history.

While O'Brien and Dockrell were dismissed caught, Getkate was stumped off the second ball of Rashid's penultimate over to bring about the hat-trick. The leggie then returned for his final over and castled Josh Little to pick up his fifth wicket, ending with figures of 5/27 from four overs.

With this effort, Rashid became the seventh bowler in the history of T20 cricket to bag a hat-trick and completed his second 5-wicket haul in T20 internationals.

#2 Lasith Malinga (5/6 v New Zealand, September 2019)

Malinga picked up 4 wickets in 4 balls against New Zealand

Post Rashid Khan's achievement, Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga became the second bowler to pick up 4 wickets in 4 balls in T20 internationals. This was the second time in his international career when he picked up 4 wickets in 4 balls. The first time he achieved the feat was in an ODI against South Africa at the 2007 World Cup.

Malinga's efforts came in a T20 match against New Zealand at Kandy. He first castled Kiwi opener Colin Munro and then trapped Hamish Rutherford in front.

Colin de Grandhomme and Ross Taylor followed the duo as New Zealand were reduced to 15/4 in just three overs. Chasing 126, NZ were bowled out for 88 and Malinga finished with career-best figures of 5/6 from the game, while also becoming the first bowler to pick 100 wickets in T20I cricket.

Malinga also created history by picking four wickets in four balls for the second time in his international career.

#5 Deepak Chahar (6/7 v Bangladesh, November 2019)

Deepak Chahar has the best ever figures in T20 internationals

Deepak Chahar became the first Indian male cricketer to claim a hat-trick in T20 internationals when he achieved this feat against Bangladesh at Nagpur in the third T20 of the three-match series.

Chahar was exceptional in the said game and demolished the Bangladesh batting unit. He picked up figures of 6/7 runs in 3.2 overs. He also picked up a hat-trick in the game by dismissing Shafiul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Aminul Islam off successive deliveries

He was unplayable on that night and created history. His spell helped India clinch a 30-run win and seal a 2-0 series win. Notably, Chahar's 6/7 from that game still stands as the best ever figures in T20I cricket.