Top 5 Controversial Moments in Cricket History

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Called a gentleman’s sport, cricket has had some of the spiciest controversies. Be it fighting over an umpire call fighting on-field or slapping a ban on players accusing them of match-fixing, this sport has seen it all – leaving us all dumbstruck turning the cricketing history upside down.

All of these incidents were not just headlines but also stirred up the debates on ethics, probity, and behavior of players and officials. We will review 5 such controversies that had a major impact on the game of cricket.

5 Controversial Moments in Cricket History

The Underarm Bowling Incident (1981)

Well, if you are one of those old-school guys, and born in the 80s, then this shocking incident was not unfamiliar to you. This incident happened in the 1981 during Benson & Hedges World Series in Australia.

This controversy revolved around underarm deliveries bowled by Trevor Chappell, an Australian cricketer, in the finals of Australia and New Zealand. the requirement of six runs by New Zealand to tie the match and only one ball remaining, Trevor was told by his captain, his brother Greg Chappell, to deliver the final bowl underarm. 

The reason behind this tactic was to prevent Brian Mckechine from hitting a boundary, as the style of underarm effectively paces the ball on the ground.

Although it was allowed at the time, the underarm delivery was viewed by many as unsporting and against cricket’s spirit. Fans and players in New Zealand were furious because it was a purposeful act of gamesmanship. Both in Australia and outside, the episode sparked popular outrage, and the New Zealand squad felt defrauded.

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) swiftly changed the game’s rules to forbid underarm bowling after the Australian squad came under heavy fire.

2018 Sandpaper Scandal

This event was the world’s biggest story and caused a revolution in how players were perceived for their actions. It took place during Australia vs. South Africa’s Test match.

Famous cricket names such as Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft are alleged to alter balls with the help of sandpaper. Although Bancroft was seen tampering with a ball with sandpaper, he further ruined the situation by hiding it down in his pants to leave no clue behind.

This added fuel to an already raging fire of immediate fallout. Bancroft was found guilty, and took a nine-month ban, while famous cricketers Steve Smith and David Warner both received one-year bans.

Cricket Australia also handed down penalties for the three and demoted them from their captaincy positions within the team. 

The “Monkeygate” Incident (2008)

On the third day of the SCG Test series Indian off-spinner, Harbhajan Singh was allegedly accused of throwing racial slurs against Andrew during the heated debate. Singh allegedly called Symonds “Monkey”, and Symonds who was the only player of Caribbean descent, took it personally.

Symonds had a history of getting these kinds of slurs from that crowd, fanning the flames. The match referee both players’ appeals, and found Harbhajan guilty of racial abuse, according to the testimony of Australian players.

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As a result, Singh got a three-day ban, which agitated the Indian team and was tailored to the protest. Indian team claimed that authorities had no concrete evidence against Singh, and Singh also denied using any slurs.

BCCI got in a rage and opposed Singh’s ban. They went too far and even threatened to pull out the team from the series. Moreover, they went to ICC and evoked strong objections about this incident.

20s Hansie Cronje Match-Fixing Scandal

Well, that was an unforgettable scandal that left every cricket fan in shock. The early 20s was the time when this scandal came to light and left the whole cricket community in a terrible situation. 

You say, what would be your reaction when you find out that the leader of a certain team was found to be guilty of match-fixing? You will be shocked right? This is what happened when South Africa’s then leader was alleged in match-fixing charges. The dominant cricket player tampered results of some matches, including a match against India to gain some financial profit.

The scandal was enlightened after Delhi Police was on a spree of investigations, unfolding evidence of Cronje’s involvement in fixing, not to mention accepting bribes from bookmakers. 

Delhi Police found that Cronje had an apparent involvement in manipulating a couple of matches, including the one against India in 1996, and all of this was to gain financial profit. We remembered correctly, that cricket fans went crazy after the revelations.

2004 Master Blaster Clash

Sachin Tendulkar had been dismissed by Muralitharan in a previous encounter. Tensions between the two sides increased as the Indian team questioned Muralitharan’s action during a specific delivery, resulting in an altercation off the field. The on-field incident and the media coverage that followed sparked debate on the morality of Muralitharan’s bowling motion, even though no official accusations were made against him.

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Throughout his career, there had been a lot of discussion about Muralitharan’s action, and this specific incident sparked concerns about the responsibility of officials and players to maintain the game’s integrity. The event also spurred a continuing discussion about whether bowlers should be permitted to use unusual bowling motions, specifically regarding whether Muralitharan’s deliveries were permitted by cricket regulations.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, we have enveloped some of the 5 most controversial moments in cricket history. These moments have a fair share of contributions in playing a pivotal role in shaping the history of the sport. 

These moments were the main highlights of the complexities of sportsmanship, integrity, and the struggle to preserve the spirit of the game. What are your thoughts? Which moment do you think was the most controversial? Comment your opinion in the below section.

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