Cricket took off as a gentleman’s game, which means no heated argument, emotions, abusing, excessive appealing and no cheating. However, emotions pour in when the game is larger than life and millions aspire to live their dream.
It’s not just the players, but commentators, experts and millions of fans also gets affected. Over the years we have a dozen of cricketers sobbing on the field for various reasons, it could be tears of happiness and joy or sadness.
Let’s take a look at the top 5 moments when cricketers cried on the ground:-
When Sachin Tendulkar wept after bidding adieu to cricket
The date was 16th November 2013, when the world witnessed the most heartbreaking moment in cricket history. Sachin Tendulkar had already played his last match and was called to give a farewell speech.
During the speech the batting maestro got emotional, a few tears shed from his eyes, which shows his pain for not playing cricket.
The fans also cried as they won’t be seeing the greatest batsman again. Although Tendulkar looked a satisfied man ending his career with the most number of matches, runs and centuries in tests and ODI’s.
Virat Kohli after T20 World Cup exit in 2012
We know Virat Kohli is a man of many emotions. He is often seen abusing the bowlers, sledging the opponents or making animated faces during the match, but there is another side to the batter as well.
The year was 2012, India started their T20 campaign by winning the two group stage matches. Although, they lost to Australia in the first super eight encounters, but bounced back in the next match against Pakistan beating them convincingly.
India needs a 31 victory over South Africa to qualify for the semifinal, but despite captain’s knock by Virat Kohli India failed to qualify.
After the loss, Virat Kohli was seen sobbing on the field feeling the anguish and pain of the loss.
AB De Villiers breaks down after South Africa semifinal exit in 2015 WC
South Africa is labelled as Chokers in the ICC tournaments, they easily win the group matches and reaches the quarters or semis, but fail to win the must-win games.
South Africa reached the semifinals in 1999, 2007 and 2015, but on all the occasions they lost. 2015 was one rare occasion when South Africa looked determined to win the World Cup.
They even beat Sri Lanka in the quarter-finals, but crashed in the semifinal match against New Zealand. The team looked nervous and missed the catches and run out chances through the match and allowed New Zealand to set a target of 298 in 43 overs.
But despite the gutsy knocks by AB De Villiers and David Miller the team lost by 16 runs. After the match, Ab De Villiers along with other players was seen breaking down with tears.
Sachin, Yuvraj and Harbhajan Singh crying after winning WC 2011
The year was 2011 Sachin Tendulkar was playing his last World Cup and the entire team was on a mission to win the Cup for the God of cricket. No team has ever won a World Cup at home, India scripted its own winning story, they started off scratchy against England, South Africa and even Ireland, but once the big matches arrived India changed the gear and won the games against Australia in Quarter and semifinals respectively.
Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni played the match-winning knock in the finale helping India lift the World Cup after 28 years. The stadium erupted with happiness, but players like Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Sachin Tendulkar couldn’t hold their tears and cried like babies.
Sakib Al Hasan in tears after losing Asia Cup final in 2012
Bangladesh is the one of the emerging global power in Cricket but missed the ICC trophy and any major bilateral series trophy in their cabinet. 2012 was one rare occasion when looked determined to win the Asia Cup.
They beat India and Sri Lanka in the playoffs and reached the finals for the first time, but lost to Pakistan in the finals felling short only by 3 runs.
It was a nervous breakdown for Bangladesh, Sakib Al Hasan and his boys couldn’t hold their emotions and wept covering their face.
