The first-ever hat-trick in a Cricket World Cup was taken by Chetan Sharma of India. He achieved this feat on October 31, 1987, during a group-stage match against New Zealand in the 1987 ICC Cricket World Cup, held in Nagpur, India.
Details of the Historic Hat-Trick:
-
Victims: Ken Rutherford, Ian Smith, and Ewen Chatfield
-
Type of Dismissals: All three batsmen were bowled out by Chetan Sharma.
-
Match Context: India won the match convincingly, and Sharma's hat-trick played a significant role in restricting New Zealand to a modest total.
Significance of Chetan Sharma's Hat-Trick:
-
It was the first hat-trick in World Cup history, making it a memorable milestone.
-
Chetan Sharma became a pioneer in World Cup bowling, and his achievement is still celebrated in Indian cricket history.
-
Despite the significance of this moment, Sharma's career had its share of ups and downs, but this achievement remains his most iconic.
Other Notable Hat-Tricks in World Cups:
-
Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan) — 1999 World Cup
-
Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) — 2007 World Cup (four wickets in four balls)
-
Trent Boult (New Zealand) — 2019 World Cup
Chetan Sharma's historic hat-trick paved the way for future bowlers to create memorable World Cup moments.