On This Day in 2003: Chaminda Vaas bags first-over hat-trick in World Cup

Chaminda Vaas wreaked havoc in the 2003 ODI World Cup clash between Sri Lanka (SL) and Bangladesh (BAN), played at the City Oval, Pietermaritzburg, in South Africa. This was the 10th match in the marquee event. After Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first, Vaas started proceedings with the new ball and struck right away.

He bowled a beautiful inswinger to right-handed batter Hannan Sarker, who went for an expansive drive without any foot movement. The ball slipped between bat and pad to hit off-stump. The second delivery was another inswinger and it stopped on No. 3 batter Mohammad Ashraful after pitching. He only managed to chip the ball straight back at Vaas, who took a comfortable catch on his follow-through.

Ehsanul Hoque came out to the middle to face the hat-trick ball against Chaminda Vaas, who was breathing fire. The left-arm seamer bowled a fullish delivery outside off-stump and Hoque pushed at it, only to get an outside edge which carried comfortably to Mahela Jayawardene at second slip. The in-form pacer conceded a boundary off the following delivery before trapping Sanuar Hossain plumb in front of the stumps.

Check out historical first over of Chaminda Vaas here:

#OnThisDay, in the 2003 CWC, @chaminda_vaas became the 1st bowler to take a hat-trick with the 1st 3 balls of a match (🎥:⬇️)

It was the group game vs 🇧🇩, in Pietermaritzburg

He added a 4th in the same over, en route to figures of 6-25

🇱🇰 won by 10 wktspic.twitter.com/1aS9cPbS1E

— North Stand Gang - Wankhede (@NorthStandGang) February 14, 2025

Also Read: Sri Lanka vs Australia 2025: Match Preview, 2nd ODI

The Bangla Tigers lost four wickets inside the first over as the Sri Lankans were cock-a-whoop. Vaas went on to finish with scintillating figures of 6/25 in 9.1 overs. This included two maidens. Bangladesh were bowled out for a paltry total of 124 in 31.1 overs. Muttiah Muralitharan bagged three wickets while Dilhara Fernando chipped in with one scalp.

Sri Lanka had no problems chasing the underwhelming target. Openers Marvan Atapattu and captain Sanath Jayasuriya slammed unbeaten half-centuries as Sri Lanka reached home in the 22nd over. They had 173 balls left to spare. Vaas was fittingly adjudged Player of the Match for his impressive spell with the ball which orchestrated a convincing victory by 10 wickets for the Lankan Lions.