IPL 2018: Bowlers who have picked hat-tricks in the tournament

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been the land of opportunities ever since it’s inception with the inaugural season in 2008 and there hasn’t been any better forum to showcase your cricketing talent as the league grabs all the eyeballs given the popularity it has grossed in all the years so far. The Indian T-20 domestic league, the first ever of this kind has given players from all around the world an opportunity to embrace tough situations and those who have fared well given the challenges that the game poses in such a cricket driven country, have managed to play long enough for their respective countries.

Despite of the glamour and the money that the league features, it has lived up to its reputation of providing fans entertainment on the back of some pure cricketing action. On numerous occasions, we have witnessed some great all-round effort the players be it in terms of tremendous batting, bowling skills on display or the athleticism shown on the field that certainly sets IPL apart from the rest. In the midst of entertainment that we get from fours and sixes, the tendency to forget some remarkable bowling spells over the years has become more vulnerable. So here’s a re-visit to some of those game-changing hat-tricks that certainly help us remember that cricket is still a contest between bat and ball.

1. Amit Mishra – 3

Mishra has been one of the most successful bowlers in the history of the league. He is the only bowler to record a hat-trick of hat-tricks in the editions played so far. Being among the top wicket-takers in the league’s history, his leg spin has been his major weapon to deceive batsmen by a fare distance. He recorded his first hat-trick in the inaugural season itself, playing for Delhi Daredevils, Mishra helped his team to victory in their encounter against the Deccan Chargers by 12 runs by bowling the crucial final over. He dismissed Ravi Teja, RP Singh, and P Ojha off his first three deliveries of the final over, preventing the Chargers to score 15 to win the game.

Batsmen dismissed: Ravi Teja, RP Singh, and P Ojha

Mishra just didn’t stop here as he started to develop a habit of taking hat-tricks when he inflicted one in 2011. Playing for the Deccan Chargers this time around, in a game against the Kings XI Punjab he took his second hattrick as he once again spun a web by his variations of leg spin to see the opposition struggling at 102 for five in the 16th over after he dismissed Ryan McLaren, Mandeep Singh, and Ryan Harris off three successive deliveries to see his team cruise towards victory by 82 runs.

Batsmen dismissed: Ryan McLaren, Mandeep Singh, and Ryan Harris

Amit Mishra proved his brilliance with the ball once again as he took his third hat-trick of the IPL in 2013, becoming the first bowler to do so. In a game against the Pune Warriors India, Mishra came on to bowl the penultimate over of the game with the opposition requiring 14 off the final two overs. He dismissed Angelo Mathews off his second delivery and took Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Rahul Sharma, and Ashok Dinda to seal the game for Sunrisers Hyderabad in what was a low scoring match that was successfully defended by the bowling team.

Batsmen dismissed: Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Rahul Sharma, and Ashok Dinda