IPL 2022 Playoffs: 5 forgotten hat-tricks in the history of the league

With just Qualifier 2 and the Final to go in IPL 2022, the tournament has borne witness to runs, wickets and sixes aplenty. However, it is worth noting that hat-tricks, once a massive flavor of the league, haven't come by as often this time around.

The first hat-trick in the IPL dates back to the inaugural edition in 2008. Chennai Super Kings' Lakshmipathy Balaji, now the bowling coach of the franchise, picked up a hat-trick in the final over of a home fixture against Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) en route to a five-wicket haul.

Since that feat, there have been 20 other instances of a bowler registering a hat-trick in the IPL. Rajasthan Royals' Yuzvendra Chahal was the latest to join that list, having accomplished the feat against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Incidentally, it happens to be the only hat-trick of IPL 2022 thus far.

On that note, we look at five hat-tricks you may have forgotten about in the league's history.

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#5 Sam Curran - KXIP vs DC, IPL 2019

Sam Curran made only his second IPL game a memorable one as he vaulted Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) to the most incredible heist. Chasing 167 on a good batting surface, Delhi Capitals (DC) were cruising with 30 needed off the last 4 overs and 7 wickets in the shed.

But then came an alarming collapse - two quick wickets gave the Kings a glimmer of hope, before Curran converted that inch into a mile. Bowling the 18th over, he prized out the set Colin Ingram before removing Harshal Patel off the last delivery of the over.

Mohammad Shami bowled an excellent 19th over, removing two more DC batters to bring it down to 15 needed off the last. And it was Curran who took over again, sending down two very full deliveries that uprooted the stumps of Kagiso Rabada and Sandeep Lamichhane. The last 7 wickets were lost for a mere 8 runs and the Capitals were left licking their wounds as Curran completed a hat-trick and a win for KXIP.

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#4 Ajit Chandila - RR vs PWI, IPL 2012

Off-spinner Ajit Chandila made a splash in the fifth edition of the IPL when the Rajasthan Royals (RR) took on the Pune Warriors India (PWI). Batting first, the Royals posted a solid 170/4 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, courtesy of half-centuries by Shane Watson and Ajinkya Rahane.

In response, the Pune innings never took off as Chandila broke the back of their chase in the very first over. Having got Jesse Ryder to hole out off the fifth ball of the opening over, he then stumped skipper Sourav Ganguly right after to find himself on a hat-trick.

Chandila then drew Robin Uthappa forward off the first ball of his next over, only to beat him as wicket-keeper Sreevats Goswami whipped off the bails. Having registerd the first, and only, hat-trick of the season, Chandila picked up a fourth wicket too to finish with 4/13 off his 4 overs.

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#3 Axar Patel - GL vs KXIP, IPL 2016

Axar Patel came to the party for the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) against the now-defunct Gujarat Lions (GL) at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. Batting first, the Kings were bundled out for 154 inside their 20 overs. The total didn't seem imposing enough with a dominating Lions batting lineup ahead.

However, Axar Patel came to the party with ideas of his own. After Mohit Sharma removed Brendon McCullum and GL skipper Suresh Raina in the powerplay, the left-arm tweaker bamboozled the rest of the batting might. Three wickets in four deliveries to round off the 7th over left the Lions reeling at 39/5, with Dwayne Smith, Dinesh Karthik and Dwayne Bravo being dismissed cheaply.

Axar was reintroduced in the 11th over and he completed his hat-trick off the very first delivery, getting Jadeja to nick behind to wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha. That also signaled the final nail in the coffin for table-toppers GL, who could only muster 131/9 in their 20 overs.

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#2 Shane Watson - RR vs SRH, IPL 2014

Shane Watson joined Pravin Tambe as the second Rajasthan Royals bowler to register a hat-trick in the 2014 edition of the IPL. The maverick Aussie all-rounder accomplished this feat against the SunRrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Ahmedabad.

It was an unusual hat-trick as well, with the first of those wickets coming off the last ball of the 4th over as Watson castled a set SRH skipper Shikhar Dhawan. Returning to bowl the 17th over, Watson removed countryman Moises Henriques off the first delivery before Karn Sharma nicked behind to wicket-keeper Sanju Samson.

An outstanding exhibition of death-overs bowling saw RR restrict the Sunrisers to 134/9. However, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Dale Steyn went one better to put on a masterclass of their own, as a dismal batting performance saw the Royals skittled out for 102.

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#1 Amit Mishra - KXIP vs Deccan, IPL 2011

Amit Mishra and picking up hat-tricks go hand-in-hand. The veteran leggie holds the record for the most hat-tricks in IPL history and, incidentally, each of them happens to have come for a different franchise.

The second of those came for the now-defunct Deccan Chargers in 2011. Kings XI Punjab needed a win in Dharamsala to stay relevant in the playoff hunt, but Shikhar Dhawan powered the Chargers to a massive 198/2.

In reply, skipper Adam Gilchrist led the way with a fighting half-century but wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals. Once Amit Mishra had the ball in hand for the 16th over, the wheels well and truly came off the chase. Ryan McLaren miscued him, Mandeep Singh was foxed into a stumping and Ryan Harris handed Dhawan a catch at gully to complete Mishra's hat-trick.

The Kings were eliminated and the Chargers signed off from IPL 2011 on a high. Mishra would go on to pick up a third IPL hat-trick, a couple of seasons later, while representing the SunRisers against the Pune Warriors India.