- Three wickets in three successive balls
- Four wickets in four successive balls
- Six wickets in six successive balls
- Two wickets in two successive balls
Answer Explanation: Four wickets in four successive balls
The simple answer to this question is that a double hat-trick in cricket happens when a bowler gets four wickets in four balls in a row. It extends a regular hat-trick, which is three wickets in three balls, by one more consecutive dismissal, making it far rarer and harder to get. A bowler gets a double hat-trick when they get one more right after the hat-trick. It is one of the rarest achievements because it requires not only exceptional bowling skill but also perfect timing, favorable match conditions, and a degree of luck.
To get this achievement, the bowler must maintain concentration, execute their deliveries flawlessly, and often overcome the pressure of game-changing moments, which makes it an exponentially more difficult task. In international cricket, a few bowlers have taken double hat-tricks in a game. Some of the most notable players who have done this include Lasith Malinga, Rashid Khan, and Jason Holder. In reality, Malinga has taken two double hat-tricks in a game, one in an ODI and the other in a T20I.
Additional Information:
Most notable players who got Double Hat-Tricks in international cricket:
Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka):
The Yorker King holds the distinction of being the first bowler in international cricket to record a double hat-trick. He accomplished this extraordinary achievement twice: first against South Africa in the 2007 ODI World Cup match, and again against New Zealand in a T20I match in 2019. During his 2007 ODI performance against South Africa, Malinga dismissed Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, and Makhaya Ntini in succession, nearly snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
The Afghan spinner became the first bowler to record a double hat-trick in T20I cricket against Ireland in 2019. Ireland had a great start at chasing. However, the Irish team struggled to cope with the increasing required run rate. Meanwhile, on the final ball of the 16th over, Rashid picked up his first wicket of the match after dismissing Kevin O’Brien for 74.
On the first two balls of his next over, he dismissed George Dockrell and Shane Getkate to complete his hat-trick. On the next ball, he dismissed Simi Singh to become the first bowler in T20I history to record a double hat-trick.
Jason Holder (West Indies)
He secured his place in history against England in 2022, taking the wickets of Chris Jordan, Sam Billings, Adil Rashid, and Saqib Mahmood in the final over to win the match. He became the fourth bowler to take a double hat-trick in international cricket in January 2022. He achieved this feat against England in the deciding match of the five-match series.
England needed 20 runs in the last over, and Jason Holder had the ball in his hand. He dismissed Chris Jordan on the second ball and took the wicket of Sam Billings on the next ball. He dismissed Adil Rashid and Saqib Mahmeed in the next 2 balls to end England’s innings and record a double hat-trick.
Curtis Campher (Ireland)
While one had already experienced some memorable hat-tricks in the Men’s T20 World Cup history, it was the only instance when one experienced a double hat-trick in the tournament history. He achieved his double hat-trick against the Netherlands in the 2021 T20 World Cup, dismissing Colin Ackermann, Ryan ten Doeschate, Scott Edwards, and Roelof van der Merwe.
What is a hat-trick in cricket?
A hat-trick happens when a bowler takes three wickets from three consecutive balls. There can be interruptions in the deliveries if another bowler from the other end of the pitch or the other team’s innings throws an over, but there must be three consecutive deliveries by the same bowler in the same match. Only wickets attributed to the bowler count towards a hat-trick. A bowler can claim a hat-trick if they dismiss batters in any one of the following ways: Bowled out, Caught out, LBW, and Stumped out.
In Test cricket history, there have been just 49 hat-tricks, the first achieved by Fred Spofforth for Australia against England in the year 1879. In ODI cricket, there have been 52 hat-tricks, the first achieved by Jalal-ud-Din for Pakistan against Australia in 1982, and the most recent player to achieve this feat is Dilshan Madushanka of Sri Lanka against Zimbabwe in August 2025.
As of September 2025, there have been 73 hat-tricks in T20Is. The first T20I hat-trick was taken by Brett Lee of Australia, playing against Bangladesh in Cape Town in September 2007. The most recent player to achieve this feat is Mohammad Nawaz of Pakistan against Afghanistan in the UAE T20I Tri-series final in Sharjah on September 7, 2025.
