Who was the first Indian bowler to take a hat trick in a Cricket World Cup match?

Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on a landmark achievement by an Indian bowler in Cricket World Cup history. A hat trick occurs when a bowler takes three wickets with three consecutive legal deliveries. Such feats are rare, and the first time an Indian achieved this in a World Cup became a memorable moment in Indian cricket lore.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The format is the Cricket World Cup, which is an ODI tournament.
• The question asks for the first Indian bowler to take a hat trick in a World Cup match.
• The options include several Indian bowlers known for taking hat tricks or for major wicket taking performances.
• Only one of them did this first at a World Cup.

Concept / Approach:
Chetan Sharma became the first Indian bowler to take a World Cup hat trick during the 1987 Cricket World Cup. He achieved this against New Zealand, dismissing three batsmen in consecutive balls. While other Indian bowlers such as Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Mohammad Shami have also taken Test or ODI hat tricks, Chetan Sharma holds the distinction of being the first Indian to do so in a World Cup match.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify that the context is the Cricket World Cup, not bilateral series or Test matches.Step 2: Recall that Chetan Sharma took a famous hat trick against New Zealand in the 1987 World Cup.Step 3: Check the options and locate Chetan Sharma among the names provided.Step 4: Select Chetan Sharma, knowing that other bowlers may have hat tricks in different formats or later tournaments but were not the first in World Cup history for India.

Verification / Alternative check:

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
• Harbhajan Singh took a Test hat trick against Australia in 2001 but was not the first Indian to take a World Cup hat trick.
• Irfan Pathan has a Test hat trick against Pakistan but not the first World Cup hat trick for India.
• Mohammad Shami claimed World Cup hat tricks in more recent tournaments, after Chetan Sharma, so he is not the first.
• Kuldeep Yadav has ODI hat tricks, but again, he is not the earliest World Cup hat trick taker from India.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates often confuse hat tricks in different formats and tournaments. Because Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan are famous for their Test hat tricks, some students mistakenly choose them. Others remember recent World Cups and select Mohammad Shami or Kuldeep Yadav. To correctly answer timeline based questions, it is important to memorise the first occurrence separately from later repetitions of the same feat.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Chetan Sharma, who became the first Indian bowler to take a hat trick in a Cricket World Cup match during the 1987 tournament.