A look at the nine hat-tricks taken at previous Cricket World Cups.

Today marks the anniversary of Chaminda Vaas' history-making hat-trick, with the first three balls of the game against Bangladesh at the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2003.

Vaas' effort was one of just nine hat-tricks at a Cricket World Cup over the course of the tournament's 11 editions.

To mark the occasion, we're revisiting every one of those famous World Cup hat-tricks.

Chetan Sharma (1987)

v New Zealand

Chetan Sharma took the first-ever World Cup hat-trick

India's paceman, Chetan Sharma, will forever have the honour of taking the first-ever Cricket World Cup hat-trick.

Sharma's effort came in the fourth edition of the World Cup, during India's final group game against New Zealand in Nagpur.

His victims were Ken Rutherford, Ian Smith and Ewen Chatfield, with all three clean bowled by Sharma; as he sealed the hat-trick by uprooting Chatfield's leg stump.

Saqlain Mushtaq (1999)

v Zimbabwe

Saqlain took his hat-trick in England in '99

We had to wait 12 years and three more editions of the World Cup for our next hat-trick, which came from Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq.

Chasing 272, Zimbabwe were struggling along at 123/7 before Saqlain did his damage to finish the job at the Oval.

He got Henry Olonga stumped by Moin Khan to set the ball rolling, before replicating the dismissal the next ball to get rid of Adam Huckle. He made sure of the hat-trick – and the win – by trapping Pommie Mbangwa lbw.

Chaminda Vaas (2003)

v Bangladesh

Chaminda Vaas takes a hat-trick with first three deliveries of the match ICC CWC 2003; Bangladesh (124) v Sri Lanka (126-0) Sri Lanka won by 10 wickets

It may have been Valentine's Day, but Chaminda Vaas was in no mood for generosity when he created history in Pietermaritzburg 15 years ago today.

With the opening three balls of Sri Lanka's World Cup clash with Bangladesh, Vaas became the first person in history to take a hat-trick with the first three balls of an ODI.

Hannan Sarkar was first to fall, bowled by a classic Vaas in-swinger. Mohammad Ashraful was next, looping up an easy caught and bowled chance for Vaas, before Ehsanul Haque edged the hat-trick ball to Mahela Jayawardene in the slips.

Brett Lee (2003)

v Kenya

Brett Lee ripped the heart out of Kenya's batting in just the fourth over

Just 11 days after Vaas' heroics, Australian speedster Brett Lee grabbed the second hat-trick of the Cricket World Cup in 2003 against Kenya.

And while it may not quite have been the first three balls of the game, Lee's effort wasn't far off, as he left Kenya 3/3 in the fourth over in Durban.

Kenya opener, Kennedy Otieno, was the first victim, as he played onto his stumps off his elbow. Brijal Patel then nicked off to Ricky Ponting at second slip, before Lee sealed the hat-trick with an unplayable 96.6mph yorker to bowl David Obuya.

Lasith Malinga (2007)

v South Africa



Malinga has made 204 ODI appearances for Sri Lanka

Lasith Malinga is the only man to have taken two Cricket World Cup hat-tricks, taking his first against South Africa in 2007.

Malinga went one better than all those before him, taking not just three, but four wickets in a row to almost lead Sri Lanka to a famous win.

South Africa needed just four runs with five wickets remaining before Malinga's brutal spell of death bowling began.

He outfoxed Shaun Pollock with a slower ball and achieved the same result the next ball as Andrew Hall lobbed another slower ball to cover.

He had to wait until the first ball of his next over to complete the hat-trick, getting Jacques Kallis caught behind for 86.

Malinga made it four in four when he clean bowled Makhaya Ntini, but couldn't stop South Africa reaching their target with a wicket to spare.

Kemar Roach (2011)

v Netherlands

Roach finished the Netherlands off in style

Kemar Roach became the first West Indian to take a World Cup hat-trick with his effort against Netherlands in 2011.

With Netherlands seven down for 115 chasing 331, Roach finished the game off in style.

Pieter Seelaar was Roach's first victim, trapped in front for 1, with Bernard Loots also lbw to his first ball. Roach sealed the game, and his hat-trick, in style, uprooting Berend Westdijk's middle stump to spark huge West Indian celebrations.

Lasith Malinga (2011)

v Kenya

And another!

Just the day after Roach's exploits, Lasith Malinga became the first person to take two Cricket World Cup hat-tricks.

Like his previous effort, Malinga's hat-trick came across two separate overs. His first victim was Tanmay Mishra, who he trapped lbw on the final ball of his seventh over.

He then bowled two almost identical deliveries at the start of his eighth over to clean up both Peter Ongondo and Shem Ngoche and seal his second Cricket World Cup hat-trick.

Steven Finn (2015)

v Australia

Final Over Hat-Trick by Steven Finn – AUS vs ENG Amazing Hatttrick by Steven Finn – AUS vs ENG

Steven Finn became the first Englishman to take a World Cup hat-trick thanks to his final-over effort against Australia at the Cricket World Cup in 2015.

With Australia flying at 342/6, with three balls of their innings remaining, Finn got Brad Haddin caught by Stuart Broad in the deep.

Superb hands by Joe Root at long-off helped get rid of Glenn Maxwell the next ball, before Finn wrapped up the innings and claimed his hat-trick as Mitchell Johnson hit straight to James Anderson at mid-off.

JP Duminy (2015)

v Sri Lanka

JP Duminy takes a Cricket World Cup Hat-Trick JP Duminy spins Sri Lanka out, bagging a hat- trick at a crucial time in the CWC15 Quarter-Final in Sydney on March 18.

The ninth – and most recent Cricket World Cup hat-trick – came at the Quarter-Final stage of CWC15, with South Africa's JP Duminy claiming the honour.

With Sri Lanka 114/4 before his heroics, Duminy's hat-trick started as Angelo Matthews was caught at mid-wicket on the last ball of his eighth over.

Nuwan Kulasekara was next to fall at the start of Duminy’s ninth over, edging behind for Quinton de Kock to take a good catch. With men surrounding the bat, Duminy bowled the perfect hat-trick ball to trap Tharindu Kaushal lbw and become the first South African to claim a World Cup hat-trick in the process.