In the chaotic world of T20 cricket, a bowler is often just one swing of the bat away from a boundary. To take three wickets in three balls is more than just skill; it is a moment where time seems to freeze. Since the first T20 World Cup in 2007, millions of fans have watched thousands of games, yet a hat-trick remains the rarest currency in the tournament.
Interestingly, for the first 14 years of the tournament’s life, we only had one. Then, the floodgates opened. Let’s walk through the history of these game-changing overs, year by year.
2007: The Spark in South Africa
When the T20 World Cup launched in 2007, everything was new. Australia’s Brett Lee didn't take long to show the world that fast bowlers could still dominate.
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Bowler: Brett Lee (Australia)
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Opponent: Bangladesh
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Victims: Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, Alok Kapali
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The Story: In Cape Town, Lee used raw pace and a clinical line to dismantle the Bangladesh middle order. It was the first "I was there" moment for T20 bowling, and for over a decade, it stood entirely alone.
The Great 14-Year Drought (2009–2016)
It sounds impossible now, but from the 2009 edition in England all the way through the 2016 edition in India, zero hat-tricks were recorded. We saw the rise of mystery spin and the "malinga-style" yorker, but the hat-trick remained elusive. This era was defined by defensive bowling—bowlers were trying to survive, not necessarily hunt for three-in-three.
2021: The Dam Finally Breaks
The 2021 World Cup in the UAE and Oman ended the drought in spectacular fashion. We didn't just get one; we got three.
Curtis Campher vs Netherlands
The most explosive of the bunch. Campher didn't just stop at three; he took four wickets in four balls.
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Bowler: Curtis Campher (Ireland)
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Victims: Colin Ackermann, Ryan ten Doeschate, Scott Edwards, Roelof van der Merwe.
Wanindu Hasaranga vs South Africa
A masterclass in leg-spin. Hasaranga proved that guile could be just as deadly as pace.
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Bowler: Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)
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Victims: Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma, Dwaine Pretorius.
Kagiso Rabada vs England
Rabada’s hat-trick was pure adrenaline, coming in the final over of the match to snatch a win for the Proteas.
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Bowler: Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
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Victims: Chris Woakes, Eoin Morgan, Chris Jordan.
2022: The Underdogs Rise in Australia
The bouncy pitches of Australia favored those who could hit the deck hard or find deceptive bounce.
Karthik Meiyappan vs Sri Lanka
This was the ultimate "David vs Goliath" moment. A young leg-spinner from the UAE stunned the Asian champions.
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Bowler: Karthik Meiyappan (UAE)
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Victims: Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka.
Joshua Little vs New Zealand
The left-arm pacer from Ireland confirmed his status as a world-class talent by picking apart the Black Caps' engine room.
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Bowler: Joshua Little (Ireland)
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Victims: Kane Williamson, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner.
2024: The Year of Pat Cummins
The 2024 tournament (West Indies & USA) belonged to Pat Cummins. He did the unthinkable—taking hat-tricks in back-to-back games.
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Hat-Trick 1: vs Bangladesh (Victims: Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan, Towhid Hridoy)
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Hat-Trick 2: vs Afghanistan (Victims: Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib)
Chris Jordan vs USA
Returning to his birthplace of Barbados, Jordan cleaned up the USA tail with brutal efficiency, becoming the first Englishman to achieve the feat in the tournament.
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Bowler: Chris Jordan (England)
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Victims: Ali Khan, Nosthush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar.
2026: The New Chapter in India
Just days ago, the 2026 World Cup kicked off with a historic performance at Eden Gardens.
Romario Shepherd vs Scotland
In front of a roaring Kolkata crowd, Shepherd became the first West Indian to claim a T20 World Cup hat-trick.
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Bowler: Romario Shepherd (West Indies)
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Victims: Matthew Cross, Michael Leask, Oliver Davidson.
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The Impact: His 5-wicket haul proved that the West Indies are still a powerhouse in the shortest format.
Full Statistical Table: The Elite Club
| Year |
Bowler |
Team |
Opponent |
| 2007 |
Brett Lee |
Australia |
Bangladesh |
| 2021 |
Curtis Campher |
Ireland |
Netherlands |
| 2021 |
Wanindu Hasaranga |
Sri Lanka |
South Africa |
| 2021 |
Kagiso Rabada |
South Africa |
England |
| 2022 |
Karthik Meiyappan |
UAE |
Sri Lanka |
| 2022 |
Joshua Little |
Ireland |
New Zealand |
| 2024 |
Pat Cummins |
Australia |
Bangladesh |
| 2024 |
Pat Cummins |
Australia |
Afghanistan |
| 2024 |
Chris Jordan |
England |
USA |
| 2026 |
Romario Shepherd |
West Indies |
Scotland |
Why are hat-tricks more common now?
If you look at the data, it took 14 years for the first four hat-tricks, but we've seen six in the last three years alone. The reason isn't that batters are getting worse—it's that bowling has become a science.
Bowlers now use "data-driven" death overs. They know exactly which ball a tail-ender struggles with. When you combine that with the immense pressure of a World Cup chase, the "Treble Club" is likely to keep growing.
Expert Perspective: Having watched every edition since 2007, the most impressive part of this list is the diversity. We have raw pacers (Lee, Rabada), crafty medium-pacers (Campher, Little), and world-class spinners (Hasaranga, Meiyappan). It proves that in T20, there is no single "right" way to take wickets; you just need to be brave enough to hunt them.
