Cricket's most famous sledging incidents
As Ishant Sharma and Kamran Akmal had a go at each other in the midst of a tense India-Pakistan T20 tie at Bangalore on Tuesday, the mind went back to some of world cricket’s famous fights and sledges, which range from the hilarious to ugly.
Cricket has always been known as ‘The gentleman’s game’, but on-field sledging has always been a part and parcel of the sport.
From a young Sachin Tendulkar showing Abdul Qadir and the Pakistanis as to who really was the boss, to the infamous McGrath-Sarwan shouting match at Antigua, cricket has had it’s own share of on-field spats.
Here is a list of some famous on-field clashes which have made headlines over the years.
1. Prasad shows Sohail the way out!
Out you go: Prasad clean bowls Sohail in 1996!
India were playing Pakistan in the quarterfinals of the 1996 World Cup, and openers Aamer Sohail and Saeed Anwar were tearing the Indian bowling apart while chasing an imposing 288 run target (thanks to some late Ajay Jadeja heroics!).
After hitting Venkatesh Prasad for a couple of fours, Sohail mockingly gestured Prasad as to which part of the pitch he should bowl to.
The rest is history as a charged up Prasad sent Sohail’s stumps flying the very next delivery and returned the favour by gesturing Sohail the way out to the pavillion!
That dismissal turned the tie on its head as India outplayed Pakistan for a memorable win.
2. Tendulkar is the ‘man’!
Wonder ‘kid’!
The year was 1989, which saw ‘Master Blaster’ Sachin Tendulkar debuting against Pakistan and facing bowlers of the calibre of Wasim Akram and Imran Khan(at the ‘tender’ age of 16!).
Though, Tendulkar was initially jeered by the Pakistani players for being a ‘kid’, his famous assault on legendary spinner Abdul Qadir in the Peshawar ODI made the Pakistanis eat humble pie.
After Tendulkar had hit Mushtaq Ahmed for two sixes in an over, an incensed Qadir challenged Tendulkar to ‘take on a man’ (Qadir).
Tendulkar duly obliged and hit Qadir for four sixes in his next over, which left Qadir whimpering like a kid and the little genius beaming like a ‘man’!
3. Hughes gets Miandad’s ticket!
Well, i got your ‘ticket’ mate!
This one is the most hilarious of the lot.
Pakistan were playing Australia in a test in Adelaide and pacer Merv Hughes was at the receiving end of some barbs from Javed Miandad.
Things got even uglier as Miandad called Hughes a ‘fat bus conductor’ and almost went into a fighting match with the Aussie pacer.
But Hughes had the last laugh, as after dismissing Miandad he couldn’t help but quip to the batsman, “Tickets please!”
4. The ‘Barmy Army’ sticks it up the Aussies!
Brett Lee gets some treatment from the ‘Barmy Army’ in 2005!
English cricket’s most devout followers, the ‘Barmy Army’ decided to have a go at the struggling Aussies from the stands during the historic Ashes series in 2005.
Here are a few gems that were reserved for Pointing and co!
Are you Bangladesh in disguise?
He is fat, he is round, he bounces on the ground, Shane Warne!
Nonetheless, England had a memorable Ashes that summer!
5. Trueman shows his lighter side!
And last but not the least, this one is dedicated to English fast bowling great Fred Trueman.
Trueman, who was known for his lethal pace, once dismissed a young batsman in an English county game.
The batsman who was probably just starting off in English cricket, later complimented Trueman for bowling a beauty.
To which Trueman replied: “Aye, and it was wasted on you!”
***
There have been countless other incidents of opposing cricketers trading humorous barbs and even going plain crazy sometimes (Remember Sreesanth and his antics against the South Africans?).
But the writer feels the above-mentioned incidents definitely are worth remembering for every cricket fan, as a bit of on field banter definitely livens up the game!