The first Test hat-trick was taken by Fred Spofforth in 1879. After that, many bowlers from different countries achieved this rare record. Some did it on their birthday, some at a young age, and some even did it twice.
Harbhajan Singh took India’s first Test hat-trick in 2001. Naseem Shah did it at just 16. In 2025, Scott Boland also joined the list. This blog lists all Test hat-tricks from 1879 to 2025, with match details, opponents, and the players who got out.
List of Players Taking a Hat-trick in Test Cricket
Here is a list of some players who took a Hat-trick in Test Cricket:
| No. | Player | Country | Opponent | Year | Batsmen Got Out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fred Spofforth | Australia | England | 1879 | VPFA Royle, FA Mackinnon, T.Emmett |
| 2 | Billy Bates | England | Australia | 1883 | PS McDonnell, G Giffen, GJ Bonnor |
| 3 | H. Trumble | Australia | England (twice) | 1902, 1904 | AO Jones, JR Gunn, SF Barnes, BJT Bosanquet, PF Warner, AFA Lilley |
| 4 | Wasim Akram | Pakistan | Sri Lanka (twice) | 1999 (twice in one series) | RS Kaluwitharana, MRCN Bandaratilleke, GP Wickramasinghe, DA Gunawardene, WPUJC Vaas, DPMD Jayawardene |
| 5 | Glenn McGrath | Australia | West Indies | 2000 | SL Campbell, BC Lara, JC Adams |
| 6 | Harbhajan Singh | India | Australia | 2001 | RT Ponting, AC Gilchrist, SK Warne |
| 7 | Mohammed Sami | Pakistan | Sri Lanka | 2002 | TCB Fernando, DNT Zoysa, M Muralitharan |
| 8 | Alok Kapali | Bangladesh | Pakistan | 2003 | Shabbir Ahmed, Danish Kaneria, Umar Gul |
| 9 | Peter Siddle | Australia | England | 2010 | AN Cook, MJ Prior, SCJ Broad |
| 10 | Stuart Broad | England | India | 2011 | MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, P Kumar |
| 11 | Rangana Herath | Sri Lanka | Australia | 2016 | AC Voges, PM Nevill, MA Starc |
| 12 | Jasprit Bumrah | India | West Indies | 2019 | DM Bravo, SSJ Brooks, RL Chase |
| 13 | Naseem Shah | Pakistan | Bangladesh | 2020 | Najmul Hossain Shanto, Taijul Islam, Mahmudullah |
| 14 | Keshav Maharaj | South Africa | West Indies | 2021 | KOA Powell, JO Holder, J Da Silva |
| 15 | Scott Boland | Australia | West Indies | 2025 | Justin Greaves, Shamar Joseph, Jomel Warrican |
1. Fred Spofforth (Australia vs England, 1879)
Fred Spofforth was the first bowler to take the first-ever hat-trick in test cricket. Known as the Demon Bowler, this Australian bowler achieved a remarkable feat in 1879 in Melbourne.
He dismissed VPFA Royle, FA Mackinnon, and Tom Emmett on 3 successive deliveries and recorded his hat-trick. Australia won the match by 10 wickets, ensuring Spofforth’s place as an icon of early cricketing prowess.
2. Billy Bates (England vs Australia, 1883)
Billy Bates was the first England bowler to take a test hat-trick at Melbourne in 1883.
The offspinner’s victims were PS McDonnell, G Giffen, and GJ Bonnor. He demolished Australia’s batting order and finished his match with 14 wickets.
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3. Hugh Trumble (Australia vs England, 1902 & 1904)
Where many bowlers are unable to get a single hat-trick in their test career, Australian spinner Hugh Trumble took two Test hat-tricks, both against England at the MCG.
In 1902, he removed AO Jones, JR Gunn, and SF Barnes; in 1904, BJT Bosanquet, PF Warner, and AFA Lilley. He was the first bowler to get two hat-tricks in test history and the first bowler to get 2 hat-tricks against a single team.
4. Wasim Akram (Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 1999)
Pakistan’s pace battery and reverse swing king took two Test hat-tricks in the same series against Sri Lanka in 1999.
His first hat-trick dismissed RS Kaluwitharana, MRCN Bandaratilleke, and GP Wickramasinghe; the second, DA Gunawardene, WPUJC Vaas, and DPMD Jayawardene. He is the only bowler to get more than one hat-trick in a series.
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5. Harbhajan Singh (India vs Australia, 2001)
In 2001, at Eden Gardens, Harbhajan Singh recorded himself in the record book by taking India’s first-ever Test hat-trick. He dismissed Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, and Shane Warne one after another.
His exceptional bowling broke Australia’s strong batting as India won the match by 171 runs. This win helped India win the series, making it one of the most memorable moments in Indian cricket history.
6. Glenn McGrath (Australia vs West Indies, 2000)
Glenn McGrath’s lethal opening spell at Perth in 2000 dismissed SL Campbell, Brian Lara, and JC Adams in consecutive balls.
The hat-trick broke the backbone of the West Indies’ batting and led to Australia winning by an innings and 27 runs.
7. Peter Siddle (Australia vs England, 2010)
Peter Siddle claimed a memorable hat-trick at the Gabba in the 2010 Ashes. He took the wickets of Alastair Cook, Matt Prior, and Stuart Broad, all on his birthday.
His hat-trick remains a bright highlight of modern Ashes contests, with Siddle dominating the day with his bowling on his birthday.
8. Jasprit Bumrah (India vs West Indies, 2019)
The modern-day GOAT, Jasprit Bumrah, achieved a Test hat-trick in Jamaica (2019) by dismissing Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, and Roston Chase.
India won this match by 257 runs.
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9. Stuart Broad (England vs India, 2011)
Stuart Broad’s got the wickets of MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, and Praveen Kumar to complete his hat-trick in 2011.
Broad’s reverse-swinging deliveries collapsed the match in England’s favour.
10. Mohammad Sami (Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 2002)
In Lahore in 2002, Mohammad Sami dismissed TCB Fernando, DNT Zoysa, and M Muralitharan.
This hat-trick came early in Sami’s career and helped Pakistan push for a result, although the match ended in a draw.
11. Alok Kapali (Bangladesh vs Pakistan, 2003)
Alok Kapali became Bangladesh’s first and only test hat-trick taker. He removed Shabbir Ahmed, Danish Kaneria, and Umar Gul in Peshawar.
Despite Bangladesh eventually losing to a strong Pakistan side, Kapali’s hat-trick was a milestone and is remembered in Bangladesh’s Test history.
12. Naseem Shah (Pakistan vs Bangladesh, 2020)
At just 16, Naseem Shah produced a sensational hat-trick in Rawalpindi. Dismissing Najmul Hossain Shanto, Taijul Islam, and Mahmudullah made him the youngest player to claim a Test hat-trick.
Pakistan dominated the Test, winning by an innings and 44 runs.
13. Keshav Maharaj (South Africa vs West Indies, 2021)
Keshav Maharaj’s hat-trick at Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, saw him remove KOA Powell, JO Holder, and J Da Silva. His spin was too much for the Windies, helping South Africa secure a series-clinching win.
It was the first Test hat-trick by a South African in 61 years and showcased Maharaj’s world-class abilities as a left-arm spinner.
14. Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka vs Australia, 2016)
At Galle in 2016, veteran Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath dismissed AC Voges, PM Nevill, and Mitchell Starc to complete his Test hat-trick. Sri Lanka won this match by a massive 229 runs.
As Herath was playing on his home soil, he troubled Australian batsmen with his spin on the subcontinent pitch.
15. Scott Boland (Australia vs West Indies, 2025)
Scott Boland became another Australian to get a hat-trick in test cricket. In the 2025 Kingston Test, he dismissed Justin Greaves, Shamar Joseph, and Jomel Warrican with his first three balls of the 14th over.
Australia demolished the West Indies on just 27 runs, the second-lowest Test total, and sealed a 176-run victory. Boland’s hat-trick was the 10th by an Australian in Tests before Boland, Mitchell Starc demolished the West Indies by taking five wickets in just 15 balls.
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Conclusion: Scott Boland joins the Elite list of Bowlers with a Hat-trick in Test Cricket
Fred Spofforth was the first player to take a hat-trick. Although many great bowlers could not achieve this milestone, 16-year-old Naseem Shah did it. In 2025, Scott Boland became the latest to join this elite list.
As cricket evolves, we will witness more hat-tricks by talented bowlers. Who do you want to achieve this feat? Drop their names in comments!
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