Ugly and Unruly! When cricket fans set fire to stands, threw bottles and garbage

On this day, back in 1996, during the World Cup semifinal match between India and Sri Lanka, an enraged crowd threw water bottles on the cricket field after India began to crumble while chasing. We list out other such horrific incidents when cricket fans went crazy

Updated On: 2018-10-05 08:15 AM IST

Ugly and Unruly! When cricket fans set fire to stands, threw bottles and garbage

During the 1996 World Cup semi-final, enraged spectators, who couldn't digest India's shocking batting collapse, threw missiles at unsuspecting Sri Lankan players, set the stands on fire, and literally turned Eden Gardens at Kolkata into a battleground. As a result, match referee Clive Lloyd awarded the game to eventual champions Sri Lanka

Cricket fanatics set fire to various materials in the stadium' stands during the rain affected fifth ODI between India and England at the Nehru Stadium, in Guwahati, on April 9, 2006. Fans went completely berserk after match was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to bad weather. Pic/ AFP

This is a dirty picture from an ODI between Australia and West Indies at June 24, 2008 in Kingstown, St. Vincent. Fans protested the wicket of West Indies' Darren Sammy, who they thought was not bowled out, by throwing bottles and garbage onto the field. The match was delayed for several minutes. Australia eventually won the game by 84 runs. Pic/ AFP

Kohli, the RCB skipper Virat Kohli, was booed and called a cheater by the crowd at Wankhede Stadium following the controversial run out of Mumbai Indians' batsman Ambati Rayudu during an IPL match held a few days ago

Spectators at the Feroz Shah Kotla went berserk after an ODI between India and Sri Lanka on December 27, 2009 was abandoned due to an unfit pitch. Lanka were 83-5 when the umpires stopped play after a ball from debutante seamer Sudeep Tyagi bounced alarmingly before going head-high to MS Dhoni. The crowds reacted by hurling water bottles and chair covers into the ground. Pic/ AFP

The crowds at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack are usually well-behaved. But, on November 29, 2011, during an ODI between India and West Indies, they put a blot on their character by throwing missiles at West Indies fielder Kieron Pollard as India were struggling with the bat. Play had to be halted for a few minutes, and India recovered to win by one wicket

Former Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting was subject to massive booing during the Ashes Test at Edgbaston in 2009. England fans were protesting Punter's allegation that the England side resorted to time-wasting tactics to save the first Ashes Test at Cardiff. Pic/ AFP

During an ODI between New Zealand and Australia at Eden Park on December 3, 2005, fruits and plastic bottles were thrown at Brett Lee and Brad Hogg. Then Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting was extremely critical of the crowd behaviour. Pic/ AFP

Woeful Wankhede! In the 1987 World Cup semi-final against England, chasing a total of 254, Sunil Gavaskar was cleaned up for just four by pacer Phillip DeFreitas. During his long walk back, he was jeered by the same crowd which had enjoyed his batting for 13 seasons. It also turned out to be his last International appearance at Wankhede

Another Mumbaikar, another big achiever! Shastri somehow was not the crowd's favourite at Wankhede. They booed him and he never took it lying down. Chants of Ravi Shastri hai hai' were not rare. The heckling was mostly because of his slow batting, according to those who witnessed the booing

In 2006, the unthinkable happened. The God of Cricket' as they call Sachin Tendulkar was reportedly booed in his landmark 132nd Test match which made him India's most capped player. Tendulkar had been going through a lean patch and England defeated India comprehensively in the third Test of the series. After being dismissed by James Anderson in the first innings, the Wankhede crowd, which proudly points out to Tendulkar's association to the city, vented their frustration on the legend himself by booing

In 2007, it was the turn of a foreigner to be attacked by a section of the Wankhede crowd. Aussie Andrew Symonds was hurled with racial taunts and actions in the last ODI of the bilateral series after he was dismissed for a golden duck. The matter was not done and dusted as the Australians filed an official complaint with the ICC

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