While reaching a milestone or the winning-moment is eagerly awaited by every cricketer, the excitement sometimes gets the better of few players, and they end up getting embarrassed for celebrating too early. But some, fortunately, get the chance to rectify their mistakes while some end up red-faced, succumbing to their fate.
So here we are presenting to you five instances when cricketers started celebrating much before it was due:
5. Subashis Roy celebrating opposition’s six:
As much as the Bangladesh players have grabbed the headlines for their remarkable progress in the game in the last few years, they have also made a name for themselves for the premature celebrations in the last couple of years. One such incident was witnessed during the Galle Test between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in March this year.
Playing on 175, Sri Lankan batsman Kusal Mendis had top-edged a short delivery from Subashis Roy to fine leg. The ball went up high, and it looked like a regulation catch, but Mustfizur Rahman made a mess of that catch as after grabbing the ball, he landed on the rope. But Roy thought he got his man and started celebrating while the umpire, who was standing behind him, signaled a six.
4. Mushfiqur Rahim left red-faced for celebrating too early:
This will perhaps remain the most famous premature celebration in the game till date. India were on the verge of getting eliminated from World T20 2016 when Mushfiqur Rahim hit two successive fours in the final over when Bangladesh needed 11. With just two runs needed off the last three deliveries, Mushfiqur did not hesitate in celebrating as the match was almost in his team’s clutches.
However, what followed after that not only shattered Bangladesh’s dreams but also left Rahim red-faced as they lost three wickets off the last three balls to lose the thriller by one run.
3. Asela Gunaratne deciding the fate of the game even before it was finished:
With Sri Lanka standing on the verge of a historic series win in South Africa, Asela Gunaratne could not stop himself from celebrating a tad too early. With five required off the last three balls in pursuit of 170, Gunaratne top-edged a ball over the wicketkeeper for a boundary. However, he miscalculated and began celebrating the famous series win. In fact, he even pulled the wicket out to celebrate only to be made aware later by his partner Seekkuge Prasanna that the visitors still needed one run. Gunaratne had gone to score the winning run off the next ball, leading Sri Lanka to a 2-1 win.
2. Herschelle Gibbs dropping the potential World Cup:
“How does it feel to drop the World Cup, Herschelle?” That’s what Steve Waugh had supposedly told Herschelle Gibbs on the fateful day of the 1999 World Cup when the latter dropped the former while due to the premature celebration. Chasing 271, Australia were on the floor after being reduced to 48 for 3, and the Proteas got the chance to strike the killer blow when Waugh while playing on 56, offered a regulation catch to Gibbs at mid-off.
Gibbs took the catch but as he hurled it skywards to celebrate the catch, he failed to hold on to it, and it consequently fell to the floor. Waugh went on to score 120 from 110 balls to not only lead Australia to an unlikely win but also helped them to finish above South Africa after the Super-Six stage.
1. Suresh Raina celebrating monumental century a bit early:
This time the player was not at fault but the scoreboard was but the former paid the price for it. During the third edition of the IPL, Raina, while playing for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals, was batting on 94 when he hit Munaf Patel for a four. However, the scoreboard showed that the southpaw had reached the three-digit mark and as expected he began celebrating. On the next ball, he was dismissed, and it was only then he realized the mistake but he could do little than leaving the ground with a disappointed face.