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The 1990s

Cricket controversies from 1990 to 1999

32 incidents documented

🏏Serious

Sachin Given Out Caught Behind — 1999 World Cup

India vs Pakistan

8 June 1999

Sachin Tendulkar was given out caught behind in the high-stakes India-Pakistan World Cup match despite replays suggesting the ball brushed his pad, not bat.

#sachin#world cup#caught behind
🏏Moderate

Allan Donald Run Out — 1999 World Cup Semi-Final

Australia vs South Africa

17 June 1999

Allan Donald was run out in the most dramatic fashion in the 1999 World Cup semi-final, but South Africa argued the initial call by the square leg umpire was premature.

#donald#klusener#run out
🥊Explosive

Arjuna Ranatunga vs Ross Emerson — Murali No-Ball Drama

Sri Lanka vs England

23 January 1999

Umpire Ross Emerson called Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing. Captain Arjuna Ranatunga nearly led his team off the field in protest.

#ranatunga#murali#emerson
🚨Serious

Pakistan Match Fixing Cassette Scandal 1999

Pakistan vs Various

1 June 1999

Leaked audio cassettes containing conversations between Pakistani players and bookmakers provided crucial evidence for the Qayyum Commission and proved fixing in Pakistani cricket.

#pakistan#cassette#match fixing
😂Moderate

Herschelle Gibbs Drops the World Cup — Dropped Tendulkar

India vs South Africa

1999-06-05

Herschelle Gibbs dropped a catch off Sachin Tendulkar after celebrating prematurely, reportedly prompting Tendulkar to tell him 'You've just dropped the World Cup, mate.'

#herschelle-gibbs#sachin-tendulkar#dropped-catch
😂Mild

Brian Lara and Jimmy Adams' Comedy Run-Out

West Indies vs Australia

1999-03-29

Brian Lara and Jimmy Adams were involved in one of cricket's most comically bad run-out mix-ups, with both batsmen ending up at the same end while the fielders watched in amusement.

#brian-lara#jimmy-adams#run-out
🔥Serious

1999 World Cup Semi-Final — Klusener's Agony and Allan Donald's Run Out

Australia vs South Africa

17 June 1999

South Africa's Lance Klusener hit two fours off successive balls to bring the scores level, but a catastrophic run out of Allan Donald off the last ball sent Australia through on net run rate in one of cricket's greatest ever finishes.

#world cup#1999#klusener
🏏Moderate

Sachin's LBW in Sharjah Desert Storm — 1998

India vs Australia

22 April 1998

In the first of the two Sharjah finals, Sachin Tendulkar was given out LBW to a ball that appeared to be heading down leg. The decision denied fans a potentially historic innings.

#sachin#sharjah#desert storm
🏏Moderate

Slater Claims Catch Off Tendulkar — Chennai 1998

India vs Australia

6-10 March 1998

Michael Slater claimed a low catch to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar, but replays suggested the ball had bounced before reaching his hands. The on-field decision was out.

#michael slater#sachin tendulkar#catch
🚨Explosive

The Sharjah Cricket Fixing Era

Various

1 January 1998

Sharjah cricket, which hosted numerous ODI tournaments from 1985 to 2003, became widely associated with match fixing, with allegations of underworld figures including Dawood Ibrahim influencing results.

#sharjah#dawood ibrahim#fixing
🥊Explosive

Inzamam-ul-Haq Attacks a Spectator with a Bat

India vs Pakistan

15 September 1997

Inzamam-ul-Haq climbed into the crowd with a bat to confront a spectator who had been abusing him during the Sahara Cup match in Toronto.

#inzamam#spectator#bat
🚨Serious

Manoj Prabhakar's Match Fixing Whistleblowing & Allegations

India vs Various

1 May 1997

Former Indian all-rounder Manoj Prabhakar alleged widespread fixing in Indian cricket and claimed Kapil Dev had offered him money to underperform, triggering a major investigation.

#manoj prabhakar#india#whistleblower
😂Moderate

Inzamam-ul-Haq Chases Spectator with Bat

India vs Pakistan

1997-09-14

Inzamam-ul-Haq stormed into the crowd with his bat after being heckled by a spectator in Toronto.

#inzamam#fan#bat
😂Mild

Phil Tufnell: Cricket's Most Reluctant Fielder

England vs Various

1997-01-01

Phil 'The Cat' Tufnell was so bad at fielding that his nickname was ironic — he earned it for his ability to sleep anywhere, not for his agility.

#phil-tufnell#fielding#comedy
🔥Moderate

Sachin Tendulkar vs Mohammad Azharuddin Captaincy Rivalry

India (internal)

1 January 1997

Sachin Tendulkar's brief and unhappy stint as India captain in the late 1990s, replacing Azharuddin, was marked by poor results, factional politics, and the eventual return of captaincy to Azharuddin.

#sachin tendulkar#azharuddin#captaincy
🔥Moderate

Inzamam-ul-Haq Attacks Spectator with a Bat

India vs Pakistan

15 October 1997

Inzamam-ul-Haq charged into the crowd with a bat after being persistently taunted by an Indian spectator with a megaphone during a Sahara Cup match in Toronto.

#inzamam#spectator#bat
🏏Explosive

1996 World Cup Semi-Final Abandoned — Crowd Riots

India vs Sri Lanka

13 March 1996

The 1996 World Cup semi-final at Eden Gardens was effectively decided by the match referee after the crowd rioted when India collapsed in the chase.

#world cup#semi final#crowd trouble
🔥Explosive

1996 World Cup Semi-Final Crowd Riot in Kolkata

India vs Sri Lanka

13 March 1996

The 1996 World Cup semi-final at Eden Gardens was abandoned after Indian fans rioted, hurling bottles and setting fires when India's batting collapsed against Sri Lanka's spinners.

#world cup#riot#kolkata
🔥Explosive

The Muralitharan Chucking Controversy — The Full Saga

Sri Lanka vs Various

1 January 1996

Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling action was questioned repeatedly over a decade, leading to fundamental changes in cricket's throwing laws and biomechanical testing protocols.

#muralitharan#chucking#throwing
🏏Explosive

Darrell Hair No-Balls Muttiah Muralitharan — 1995

Australia vs Sri Lanka

26 December 1995

Umpire Darrell Hair no-balled Muttiah Muralitharan seven times for a suspect bowling action during the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, sparking a massive controversy.

#darrell hair#muralitharan#no ball
🥊Serious

Curtly Ambrose vs Steve Waugh — 'Don't Write Cheques Your Body Can't Cash'

West Indies vs Australia

28 April 1995

Curtly Ambrose got in Steve Waugh's face after being told to go back to his mark. Richie Richardson had to pull Ambrose away. Ambrose then bowled a devastating spell.

#ambrose#steve waugh#confrontation
🥊Explosive

Darrell Hair No-Balls Muttiah Muralitharan

Australia vs Sri Lanka

26 December 1995

Umpire Darrell Hair called Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing seven times during the Boxing Day Test, igniting one of cricket's longest-running controversies.

#murali#darrell hair#throwing
🚨Serious

Shane Warne & Mark Waugh Bookie Payments

Australia vs Various

9 December 1998

Australian stars Shane Warne and Mark Waugh admitted to accepting money from an Indian bookmaker known as 'John' in exchange for pitch and weather information during the 1994 tour to Sri Lanka.

#shane warne#mark waugh#australia
🔥Explosive

Darrell Hair No-Balls Muralitharan — Boxing Day 1995

Australia vs Sri Lanka

26 December 1995

Australian umpire Darrell Hair no-balled Muttiah Muralitharan seven times for throwing during the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, igniting one of cricket's longest-running controversies.

#muralitharan#darrell hair#chucking
🚨Moderate

Mike Atherton: Dirt in Pocket Ball Tampering

England vs South Africa

23 July 1994

England captain Mike Atherton was caught on camera applying dirt from his pocket to the ball during the Lord's Test against South Africa, leading to a fine and a crisis of confidence.

#mike atherton#ball tampering#dirt in pocket
🏏Mild

Gatting's Disbelief — Ball of the Century, 1993

England vs Australia

4 June 1993

While not a controversial decision itself, Mike Gatting's utter disbelief at being bowled by Shane Warne's first ball in Ashes cricket highlighted how umpires and batsmen alike were unprepared for extreme spin.

#warne#gatting#ball of the century
🥊Mild

Curtly Ambrose Refuses to Remove Wristbands

West Indies vs England

18 November 1993

Curtly Ambrose refused to remove his white wristbands when asked by the umpire, leading to a standoff that required captain Richie Richardson's intervention.

#ambrose#wristbands#umpire
😂Mild

Merv Hughes' Greatest Sledging Moments

Australia vs Various

1993-01-01

Merv Hughes, the moustachioed Australian fast bowler, was famous for his creative and hilarious sledging that often left batsmen and teammates in stitches.

#merv-hughes#sledging#moustache
😂Mild

Shane Warne's Ball of the Century — Gatting's Face Says It All

England vs Australia

1993-06-04

Shane Warne's first ball in Ashes cricket spun so viciously from outside leg stump to hit off stump that Mike Gatting's bewildered expression became one of cricket's most iconic images.

#shane-warne#ball-of-century#gatting
🏏Explosive

22 Runs Off 1 Ball — 1992 World Cup Rain Rule

England vs South Africa

22 March 1992

A farcical rain rule calculation left South Africa needing 22 runs off 1 ball in the World Cup semi-final, robbing them of a realistic chance of reaching the final.

#world cup#rain rule#south africa
😂Mild

Javed Miandad's Mock Jumping Celebration vs Kiran More

Pakistan vs India

1992-03-04

Javed Miandad mocked Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More's jumping celebrations by doing exaggerated frog-like jumps at the crease, creating one of cricket's most iconic comedy moments.

#javed-miandad#kiran-more#world-cup
🥊Mild

Merv Hughes — The King of Sledging

Australia vs Various

28 December 1991

Merv Hughes was legendary for his creative and often hilarious sledging, engaging in memorable verbal battles with Javed Miandad, Viv Richards, and many others.

#merv hughes#sledging#humor