In India millions of passionate fans consider cricket as our religion and Sachin as our God and yet many of us are not aware of certain world records being held by Indian players.  One of the most notable cricketing record is the fact that only 3 players ever in the history of one dayers have taken a hat trick and scored century in their careers.  Getting a hat trick in cricket is the ultimate for a bowler and only the best among specialist bowlers are capable of achieving this feat and normally specalist bowlers are not capable of scoring runs leave alone scoring a century.  In this context a bolwer taking a hat trick in their careers and scoring a century is a very huge achievement.  The feat has been acheived only three times in close to 3000 one dayers played which means the success rate of this achievement is 1 per 1000 matches.

Among the 3 bowlers who have achieved this feat 2 of them are Indians, the first one being Chetan Sharma, India first genuine fast bowler, the legendeary Kapil Dev being the second and the third one being Andrew Flintoff who is one of the finest all rounders in the game.

1. Chetan Sharma:- Chetan Sharma has the distinction of being the first to achieve this feat.  Chetan Sharma scored an unbeaten match winning 101 runs  of 96 deliveries when he was promoted into No.4 spot in the role of  a pinch hitter in a one day international match against England at Kanpur on 25th October 2009.  Chetan Sharma played the role to perfection counter attacking England pacers to chase down a imposing target.  Chetan Sharma had earlier taken a hat trick against New Zealand at Nagpur in Reliance World Cup on 31st October 1987 to help India reach the semi finals of Reliance World Cup 1987..

2. Kapil Dev:- When Kapil Dev took a hat trick against Sri Lanka at Calcutta on 4th January 1991, he became the second player in the history of one dayers to achieve this feat.  Kapil Dev had earlier scored one of the most memorable centuries ever in the history of World Cups when he smashed 175 not out of 138 deliveries against Zimbabve in a Prudential World Cup league match match at Tunbridge Wells on 18th June 1983 when India were reeling at 17 for 5.  Riding on Kapil Devs inspiration Indian went on to win the World Cup in 1983.

3. Andrew Flintoff:- Andrew Flintoff one of the finest all rounders in world cricket became the third player to achieve the rare distinction of a hat trick and a century in a one day career when he took a hat trick at West India at St Lucia on 3rd April 2009.  Prior to achieving hat trick Flintoff had scored 3 one day international centuries.  His scores of  106,123  and 104 were achieved on 4th July 2004, 6th July 2004 and 17th September 2004 against New Zeland, West Indies and Sri Lanka at Bristol, Lords and Southampton. Flintoff is the only player to record a hat trick and multiple centuries in one dayers.

It is strange that statisticians have not highlighted a feat which has been achieved only thrice in the history or 2928  one dayers while highlighting other routine records.  Indians should take price in the fact that Chetan Sharma and Kapil Dev were the first and second to achieve this unique feat.

Regards

Satish