On this day: Chaminda Vaas claims first-over hat-trick in the 2003 World Cup

Chaminda Vaas delivered a remarkable bowling performance during the 2003 World Cup, achieving a hat-trick in his first three deliveries against Bangladesh.

On this day in 2003, during the ICC Cricket World Cup, Sri Lanka faced Bangladesh at Pietermaritzburg. The match, anticipated as a routine encounter, turned historic due to an extraordinary bowling performance by Chaminda Vaas. The left-arm pacer achieved a hat-trick with the first three deliveries of the match, a similar feat achieved by India's Irfan Pathan in Test cricket.

Chaminda Vaas celebrates after claiming a hat-trick against Bangladesh during a match at the 2003 World Cup.(Getty Images)

The unforgettable over

Opening the bowling, Vaas delivered a masterclass in swing and precision:

First ball: Hannan Sarkar was bowled, unable to counter Vaas's inswing

Second ball: Mohammad Ashraful fell to a sharp return catch to Vaas himself

Third ball: Ehsanul Haque edged to Mahela Jayawardene in the slips, completing the hat-trick.

Vaas didn't stop there; with his fifth delivery, he dismissed Sanuar Hossain, securing four wickets in the opening over. He concluded with figures of 6 for 25.

Impact on the match

Bangladesh's batting lineup crumbled under Vaas's assault, managing only 124 runs. Sri Lanka chased down the target effortlessly, winning by ten wickets with nearly 30 overs to spare.

Notably, Vaas achieved his first ODI hat-trick in December 2001 against Zimbabwe. In a sensational performance, he took 8 wickets for just 19 runs.

Several other bowlers have managed to take two ODI hat-tricks in their careers. This elite group includes Pakistan's Wasim Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq, India's Kuldeep Yadav and New Zealand's Trent Boult.

Hat-tricks in the ODI World Cup are an even rarer feat, achieved only by a select few. The list includes India's Chetan Sharma and Mohammed Shami, Australia's Brett Lee, Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga, West Indies' Kemar Roach, England's Steven Finn, and South Africa's JP Duminy.

Vaas was one of the most successful new-ball bowler to have played for Sri Lanka and he had the ability to swing the ball really well. He finished his career with 400 ODI wickets and 355 scalps in Tests.