Cricket’s Dark Side: 7 Nastiest Altercations in the Best Matches in the History!

We have witnessed many of the best matches in cricket history that have made their impression on fans. But this gentleman’s game also has some ugly and the craziest moments on the field that fans don’t want to remember. From Mitchell Starc vs. Kieran Pollard to Shane Watson vs. Gautam Gambhir, let’s explore 7 unforgettable fights in the history of cricket in the article below!

Mitchell Starc vs. Kieran Pollard 

During the 2014 IPL between Royal Challenger and Mumbai Indians, this crazy incident happened. We all know the West Indies and Australian players never like each other. 

It all started when Starc failed to bowl a ball to Pollard, and then he also bounced a ball at him, which led to a verbal spat between the two. When Pollard moves out of the crease for the next ball, Mitchell Starc explodes, throws them in Pollard’s direction, then, furious, Pollard swings his bat in Starc’s direction as well. 

Harbhajan Singh vs. Shoaib Akhtar 

Shoaib Akhtar had a very controversial cricket career, where he fought with many players, like Virendra Sehwag, Matthew Hayden, and Andrew Symonds. But the most infamous one was with Indian Turbulator Harbhajan Singh. It was the Indian vs. Pakistan 2010 Asia Cup and the most thrilling match in cricket history.

Bhajji and Suresh Raina were on the crease in a very tough situation. Shoaib bowled some bouncers to Harbhajan and started to tease him. After that, they started fighting with each other in Punjabi slang. However, India won the match that night. 

Shane Watson vs. Gautam Gambhir 

If we talk about the best matches in cricket history, we must count on this one. It was an India vs. Australia test match on 31st October 2008. Gambhir performed very well by hitting consecutive centuries against the Australians.

The Aussies decided to forget Gambhir’s wicket, and Watson started to trouble him with the ball. As a result, Gambhir lost his anger and hit Watson’s stomach while completing the second run, resulting in a one-match ban. 

Umar Akmal vs. Brad Haddin 

It was the 2011 World Cup. Pakistan celebrated after they took Ponting’s wicket, but the umpire did not call it out, though everyone could see Ponting had tough the ball with his bat. With this, Umar Akmal had some arguments with Haddin, and then Yunis Khan pushed Haddin out of the way and interrupted the verbal altercation. 

Gautam Gambhir vs. Shahid Afridi 

There is a never-ending battle between India and Pakistan in cricket. But the most thrilling match in cricket history we must remember is between Afridi and Gambhir. It was the 3rd ODI of the series in 2007 when both players were in their best form. But suddenly, they started teasing each other, and that turned into an ugly fight when Gambhir pushed Afridi to complete his run. Urdu and Hindi curse words were exchanged between them. 

James Anderson vs. Michael Clarke 

Australia and England are big-time rivals, and there were so many fights between these two teams. In 2013, Australia vs. England’s best cricket match got some highlights from an ugly battle.

Australia just needed one wicket to win the match, but Clarke suddenly warned James Anderson, saying, “Get ready for a broken f*ckin arm. Face up.” This incident was terrible sledging and unnecessary, although Australia won that test by 381 runs. 

Jasprit Bumrah vs James Anderson 

It was a very recent India vs. England test match where Bumrah collided with Anderson. The first match was a draw in the five-test match series, but India played well at Lords. 

Jasprit suddenly seemed fired up and bowled a 10-ball over, hitting Jimmy’s head when he came to bat at number 11. Apparently, no attempt was made by him to get him out. However, English players attacked Bumrah with words when he came out to bat.  

Despite this, Bumrah added a crucial 89 runs for the ninth wicket with his 34 not out, and India won that match by 151 runs. But the series continued to be filled with tussles between these two. 

Some other historical cricket fights to know 

Apart from the 7 big cricket fights we mentioned above, there are also other battles to remember. Let’s take a quick look at them, 

• Tim Paine vs. R. Ashwin: It was a nasty fight that occurred during the Border Gavaskar Trophy between Australia and England

• Andrew Symonds vs. Harbhajan Singh: A classic sledging incident happened in the 2008 Sydney Test. 

• James Anderson vs. Mitchell Johnson: The biggest fighting incident in cricket history between these two fast-bowling players. 

• Harbhajan Singh vs. Sreesanth: An ugly incident in cricket between two Indian players happened during the 1st season of IPL in 2008, between Mumbai Indian and Kings 11 Punjab. 

These unforgettable fights remind us that cricket, often hailed as a gentleman’s game, is not devoid of passion and intensity. While the game promotes sportsmanship, these incidents show that the pressure and competition can occasionally lead to unforgettable on-field clashes that are etched in cricketing history.

But cricket’s passionate fervor isn’t confined solely to the players; it extends fervently to the fans as well. In fact, the thrill of the game often reaches its peak when enthusiasts are not just spectators but active participants. This participation comes in the form of sports betting. And for those looking to engage in this exciting aspect of cricket, Mightytips in India steps in as a reliable guide. Choosing the right bookmaker is crucial to ensure a fair and enjoyable betting experience.

Conclusion

To conclude, cricket is a gentleman’s game, but we have seen many ugly physical fights throughout the years in cricket history. Some incidents were entertaining, while others went a bit far. There are plenty of other cricket battles also, but these are the best matches in cricket history with the biggest fights, according to us. Hope you enjoyed the reading!