5 Most Controversial Instances in the History of Cricket
Despite the fact that cricket has traditionally been one of the most popular sports in the world, it has a darker side that no one wants to witness. Despite having a reputation as a “gentleman’s game,” cricket is not complete without its share of controversy. Controversies and cricket go hand in hand as there have been numerous occasions that have shocked and surprised cricket fans and experts. If you are a cricket enthusiast and love to play fantasy cricket in Bangladesh, then you must be aware of every instance of cricket. Controversies are created because of some rumours spread by unknown sources and also some because of players getting involved with corrupt activities.
Let us take you through some of the top 5 controversial events in the history of cricket that might make you jump off from your seat.
Sydney Test, 2008
On-field player collision is quite common in most cricket matches, but it crossed the line in the 2008 Sydney test, which eventually resulted in a huge controversy. It was the event involving Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds, which resulted in an unpleasant war of words when Harbhajan called Symonds a monkey. This has sparked a heated debate between Australian and Indian players, as well as animosity between the two sides.
India vs Sri Lanka (1996 World Cup)
India was on their way to chasing down the 252 set by Sri Lanka in the 1996 World Cup semi-final in front of a sold-out Eden Gardens audience. While at 98/1, India still had chances to achieve the target but the Lankan Lions bowling prowess saw the Men in Blue lose seven wickets for 22 runs. The audience went into a frenzy, tossing water bottles and whatever else they could get on the ground now that the victory was almost out of sight. After a 15-minute break, match referee Clive Lloyd called the game off, and Sri Lanka was declared the winner.
ICC World Cup 2019 Finals
No one could have predicted how the ICC World Cup 2019 final would end. The finals were at Lords and nothing could separate the Kane Williamson-led side and the Eoin Morgan-led side. In the end, England was declared as the champions by the controversial Super Over boundary count rule. Another incident during the match that shocked cricket fans around the world was the umpire Kumar Dharmasena’s decision to award overthrow runs. Later, the umpire who gave England six runs in the World Cup final after a bizarre overthrow in the last over conceded he made a “mistake”.
Harbhajan Slapping Sreesanth
Sledding is feasible in all forms of cricket, and it is beneficial if it is kept to a minimum. Harbhajan Singh slapped Sreesanth in the Indian Premier League’s first season, during a match between Kings 11 Punjab and Mumbai Indians, causing him to become emotional and sparking widespread outrage. Bhajji got carried away in the heat of the moment and let his fury take over. It was the first major scandal in the history of the IPL, and cricket fans still remember it.
2008 Australia vs India
While the ‘Monkeygate’ scandal is still one of cricket’s most discussed topic scandals, the second Test of the 2007/08 Border-Gavaskar Trophy goes much beyond that, with the umpires making as many as 12 incorrect rulings during the game. As per reports, eight of the eleven controversial umpiring decisions went against India, effectively changing the direction of the match. Following the game, which Australia won by 122 runs, the BCCI demanded umpire Steve Bucknor’s removal for the third Test match.
Controversies are a natural thing in every sports. Be it cricket or any other game, controversies will be there but, before making any statement, make sure you keep all of your facts straight. If you play fantasy games in Bangladesh such as cricket and if you see any player caught in between any controversies, try to avoid taking that player in your team and keep your team on a safe side.
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