IPL: Hat-tricks in losing causes

In 10 seasons of the lucrative Indian Premier League, we have witnessed some game-changing overs bowled by the bowlers including some splendid hat-tricks. Over the course of the 10 seasons, we have come across as many as 17 hat-tricks. Apart from the 2015 season, we have seen hat-tricks in every season!

While most of them had resulted in wins, there have been a few which didn't. Here's a look at the four hat-tricks in the IPL which resulted in the team losing the game.

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#4. Shane Watson (RR) vs SRH

In 2014, in a low scoring game between the Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals which saw Rajasthan's skipper Shane Watson pick up a memorable hat-trick but ended up on the losing side.

Rajasthan won the toss and opted to field first. Hyderabad got off to a flying start and raced to 37 in no time. Watson introduced himself into the bowling attack and on the final ball of his first over, he managed to rattle Dhawan's off pole.

After that over, he took himself out of the attack and brought on his regular bowlers. Later on, he reintroduced himself in the 17th over when the score read 106-5. He dismissed Henriques in the first ball of his second over with a slower ball, who mistimed his shot while trying to up the ante and found Rahane in the deep. Soon everyone realized that Watson was on a hat-trick. Karn Sharma was the new man in and he nicked his first ball to the keeper to give Shane Watson his first ever hat-trick in the IPL.

The celebrations were short-lived as Rajasthan failed to chase down 135; getting bundled out for just 102 and in the process handed Hyderabad a facile win. A bittersweet day for Shane!

#3 Yuvraj Singh (KXIP) vs RCB

Two years after hitting Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over, Yuvraj Singh revisited the Kingsmead Stadium in Durban; this time in a red jersey.

RCB won the toss and decided to bat first. They lost early wickets and found themselves at 38-3 and desperately needed a partnership and they got exactly that from Uthappa and Kallis. Just when the runs began to flow, Yuvraj Singh introduced himself into the attack and dismissed both the set batsmen of successive deliveries in his fifth and sixth balls. He came back for another over and stuck straightaway to dismiss Boucher for a duck and not only dent the RCB innings but also complete a sensational hat-trick. RCB ended at 145.

Chasing 146, Punjab started brilliantly and reached 70 for no loss in ten overs; thanks to a captain's knock by Yuvraj who scored a wonderful fifty. Once he was dismissed, the Punjab batsmen lost their way and in the end, they fell short by eight runs. Yuvraj Singh's heroics went in vain and the result left every Punjab fan in shock.

#2 Samuel Badree (RCB) vs MI

Last year, Bangalore and Mumbai played out one of the most memorable low scoring games at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The game swung like a pendulum and finally, it was won by the visiting team.

Batting first, RCB managed 142 on a sluggish wicket. Kohl's 47 balls 62, helped RCB get that score. Chasing 143, Mumbai got off to a disastrous start and lost Jos Buttler early. Soon something dramatic happened. Kohli continued with Samuel Badree in the third over of the innings and with his second ball, he got the better of Parthiv Patel. Mumbai sent in McClenaghan at four and the New Zealander tried to play a big short first ball but ended up spooning a catch to Mandeep at deep mid-wicket. Rohit Sharma, the Mumbai skipper was on strike to face the hat-trick ball. Badree bowled a googly which was not read by Rohit. The bowler, the skipper, and the wicketkeeper appealed and the finger went up. The crowd went berserk as Samuel Badree completed a hat-trick.

Mumbai slipped to 7 for 4 and it seemed as if RCB would win the game with ease but it was not to be as Kieron Pollard's 47 balls 70 took Mumbai home. Badree's special spell of 4-1-9-4 was overshadowed by Pollard's whirlwind innings. Tough luck Samuel!

#1 Sunil Narine (KKR) vs KXIP

On 16th April 2013, Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders gave us a low scoring thriller. KKR won the toss and opted to bowl first. Punjab didn't start well and lost their skipper Gilchrist early. They never really got going and were scoring runs at just over a run a ball. To make things worse, Narine was brought back into the attack in the fifteenth over and in his fourth ball, he found the edge of David Hussey. Next ball, Azhar Mahmood hit one straight back and it was gobbled up by Narine. Sunil Narine was now on a hat-trick and in walked Gurkeerat Singh Mann who got beaten by Narine's vicious turn and found his off pole uprooted. Sunil Narine completed a hat-trick, much to the Punjab crowd's disappointment.

Manpreet Gony blasted an 18-ball 42 which gave Punjab a respectable total of 157. In reply, KKR were on course to win the game after a splendid 105 run partnership between skipper Gautam Gambhir and Eoin Morgan, but once both batsmen fell, KKR collapsed and eventually fell short by four runs. The crowd was delighted to see their team win while Sunil Narine's hat-trick went in vain.