Who took the first hat-trick in IPL history?

Lakshmipathy Balaji took the first hat-trick in IPL history.

He achieved the feat for Chennai Super Kings against Kings XI Punjab at Chennai on 10 May 2008, during the league's inaugural season. Balaji dismissed Irfan Pathan, Piyush Chawla and Vikram Singh—also listed in contemporary scorecards as VRV Singh—with three consecutive deliveries.

The hat-trick was part of an outstanding spell: Balaji finished with 5/24 and helped Chennai defend its total by 18 runs. It was a landmark moment for the new tournament, establishing one of cricket's rarest bowling achievements almost immediately after the IPL began.

The first-hat-trick record is sometimes confused with the first hat-trick by a particular franchise or the most hat-tricks by a bowler. Yuvraj Singh took two in 2009, but he was not first. Amit Mishra later became the only bowler to reach three IPL hat-tricks, while Balaji's 2008 feat remains the tournament's inaugural hat-trick.