3 IPL hat-tricks that came in a losing cause
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is not just about fours and sixes. Bowlers often change the complexion of a game in a span of an over or two to create an immediate impact.
Since the inception of the marquee T20 league in 2008, there have been 22 hat-tricks so far.
Gujarat Titans' stand-in skipper Rashid Khan registered an inspirational hat-trick against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, April 9.
In his fourth over, the spin wizard dismissed Andre Russell of the first ball and took the prized wicket of Sunil Narine on the second. Shardul Thakur, who scored a spectacular fifty in the last game, was trapped leg before wicket on the next delivery to complete his first hat trick in IPL cricket.
However, his joy was short-lived as KKR scored 31 runs from the last over courtesy of five sixes from the bat of Rinku Singh to win the match on the last ball.
Rashid Khan's hat trick is not the only one that has ended in a losing cause. Here is a look at three such hat tricks that did not result in a win for the team:
#1 Yuvraj Singh vs Royal Challengers Bangalore (IPL 2009, Durban)
Yuvraj Singh was the first-ever bowler whose hat trick in the IPL ended in a losing cause. In the 2009 edition of the IPL, the former Indian all-rounder bagged two hat-tricks. His first was against RCB in Durban.
Batting first, RCB scored 145/9 in their stipulated 20 overs. Yuvraj accounted for three wickets for 22 runs in his four overs.
His first victim was the well-set Robin Uthappa, who was dismissed for 19. Jacques Kallis was bowled on the very next ball, being the last ball of the over. The ace all-rounder trapped Mark Boucher LBW in the first ball of the next over to secure his first hat-trick.
However, the Punjab Kings fell short of the target by eight runs despite a fighting half-century by Yuvraj Singh.
#2 Sunil Narine vs Kings XI Punjab (IPL 2013, Mohali)
Sunil Narine is the second bowler whose hat-trick ended in a losing cause for the team. He picked up three back-to-back wickets, comprising David Hussey, Azhar Mahmood, and Gurkeerat Singh, in the 15th over of the innings, and KKR were suddenly reduced to 99/6.
While Hussey was caught behind by Manvinder Bisla, Mahmood was out caught and bowled and Singh was out bowled.
KKR faltered during the run chase and fell short by four runs while chasing 158.
#3 Shane Watson vs SunRisers Hyderabad (IPL 2014, Ahmedabad)
In a low-scoring encounter in Ahmedabad in 2014, Shane Watson bagged a hat-trick in the first innings of the game. He bowled the fourth over of the innings and clean-bowled Shikhar Dhawan on the last ball of the said over.
He came back to bowl the 17th over of the innings and picked up wickets on the first two balls. Moises Henriques and Karn Sharma were the victims and Waston had a hat trick to his name. He bowled only two overs in the innings and picked up 3 wickets for 13 runs.
Rajasthan Royals failed to chase a target of 135 and were bundled out for 102 and Watson's hat-trick was in vain.