Five Instances Where Cricketers Regretted Sledging Their Opponent

Sledging had always been a part of cricket. Over the years we have seen teams- especially the Australians- use the ploy to get under the skin of the opposition. They call it ‘mental disintegration’.

Different cricketers react differently when subjected to verbal volleys or sarcastic taunts. While some of them lose their concentration and in a way play into the hands of the opposition, others become more and more determined, proceeding to answer with their skills, almost making the instigator regret at his actions.

And we have seen that on a plethora of instances in the past.

Also Read: Top-7 Memorable Altercations Between India And Australia Players In The Past 20 Years

Here’s a look at five instances where cricketers regretted sledging their opponent-

Brian Lara and Danish Kaneria, Multan Test 2005

Brian Lara belongs to a select view group of cricketers with whom you just never indulge in sledging or verbal volleys. The Australians did it back in 1993 and Lara shut them up a masterly 277 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The Aussies learnt their lesson and never again did they try to ruffle Lara’s feathers during the remainder of his career. But, unfortunately, Danish Kaneria didn’t and he duly paid the price for it.

Pakistan vs West Indies. Multan Test, 2005. Lara was in great form and had proceeded to hit Kaneria for a boundary. The next ball, Lara played a defensive shot, post which the leg-spinner sarcastically clapped before saying- “Well Played”

What followed next was an absolute massacre! The next four balls of Kaneria’s over read: 6,6,6,4. Lara smashed Kaneria to all corners of the ground, taking him for 26 runs in a single over, giving another reminder to the bowlers around the world that you just don’t mess with the prince.

One of the greatest sledging fails in cricket EVER.

Completely idiotic Pakistan bowler sledging Brian Lara, of all batsman.

How'd that work out for you son?? ?

6 6 6 4.

Thats how. ?

Now what did you learn?? ? https://t.co/USOMwBgjZ1 pic.twitter.com/V6L9tG9VqB

— Rob Moody (@robelinda2) April 13, 2020

Venkatesh Prasad and Aamir Sohail, 1996 World Cup Quarterfinal

This one has got to be one of those instances which perfectly testified that one should never get ahead of himself if he or she at the height of their powers.

Aamir Sohail did just that and both he and Pakistan paid a heavy price for it.

It was the quarter-final of the 1996 World Cup between arch-rivals India and Pakistan at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore. Needing 287 to win, Pakistan, courtesy their opening duo of Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar, had got off to a rollicking start, amassing 84 runs in the first 10 overs.

Anwar was soon dismissed by Javagal Srinath but that did not deter Sohail, as he continued smoking the Indian bowlers to all corners of the ground.

In the 15th over, Sohail advanced down the ground and stroked a boundary towards extra-cover off Venkatesh Prasad. Post the boundary, Sohail looked at Prasad and gestured him through his hand, as if to say that he will hit him there again.

Prasad didn’t utter a word in reply. He let the ball do all the talking for him as he proceeded to knock over Sohail off the very next delivery and his gesture of asking the Pakistani opener to go back to the dressing room is now a part of the folklore.

Abdul Qadir and Sachin Tendulkar, 1989-90

Sachin Tendulkar went to his first-ever tour of Pakistan as a prodigious 16-year-old teenage sensation. But what happened in the fourth Test where an injured 16-year-old scored a match-saving 58 and then in the following exhibition game, asserted Tendulkar’s credentials as a bonafide legend in the making.

India and Pakistan were playing a 30-over-a-side exhibition game where Sachin had stroked Mushtaq Ahmed for two sixes in an over during his sides’ run-chase of 158.

Qadir, who was the best leg-spinner in international cricket at the time, threw a challenge at the 16-year-old Sachin, saying-

“Bacchon ko kyu maar rahe ho? Humein bhi marke dikhao”

Tendulkar obliged and proceeded to hit the veteran leg-spinner for three sixes and a four in a single over. Qadir’s over read: 6, 4, 0, 6, 6, 6. Sachin went on to smoke 53 runs off just 18 balls, 27 of which came in a single Qadir over.

Glenn McGrath and Ramnaresh Sarwan, Antigua 2003

One of the most ugliest sledging incident to have ever taken place on a cricket field happened in a game where West Indies broke the all-time record of the highest successful run-chase in the fourth innings.

Needing 417 to win, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul has added 72 runs to take West Indies score to 237. The incident took place when Sarwan played the ball to square-leg and ran for a single.

When he ran past Glenn McGrath, a clearly frustrated Australian fast bowler asked Sarwan-

“What does Brian Lara’s c*ck taste like?”

To which Sarwan replied

“I don’t know. Ask your wife.”

McGrath, whose wife was battling with breast cancer at the time, thundered at Sarwan, leading to an ugly altercation.

“If you f**king mention my wife again, I’ll f**king rip your f**king throat out.”

To make matters worse for McGrath, Sarwan went on to rack up a gorgeous 139-ball 105 to pave way for one of the greatest ever wins in the history of West Indies cricket.

Andrew Flintoff and Yuvraj Singh, ICC T20 World Cup 2007

India vs England. ICC T20 World Cup 2007. Kingsmead, Durban.

“To be honest it was not on my mind to hit 5 sixes. But my argument will Flintoff got me infuriated,” Yuvraj Singh, who stroked 6 sixes in an over off Stuart Broad, recently revealed that it was his altercation with Andrew Flintoff that motivated him to go for the full monty.

Prior to the altercation, Yuvraj had hit Flintoff for a couple of boundaries on good deliveries and that didn’t go down well with the English all-rounder.

And, a verbal altercation ensued.

Flintoff: I will cut your throat off!

Yuvraj: You see this bat in my hand. You know where I am gonna hit you with this bat?

Following the altercation, Yuvraj decided to hit everything out of the park. And, he did exactly that as he teed into a young Stuart Broad to smoke him for six sixes in an over.

Also Read: 8 Instances When MS Dhoni Came Up with Savage Replies In Press-Conferences