5 times cricketers burst into tears

The dispiriting image of a crying Steven Smith after he was handed a year's ban for indulging in activities against the spirit of the game has left the cricketing fraternity in tears.

For any lover of the beautiful game, it is heartbreaking to see such a great player in such a condition, no matter which country the person supports.

However, this is not the first time we have seen cricketers release the waterworks. If we look back in history, we will find many such disheartening moments. Here are five of them:

#5 Bangladeshi cricketers - Bangladesh v Pakistan, 2012 Asia Cup final

While Bangladesh cricketers and their fans aren't strangers to heartbreaks, this match perhaps was the most heart-wrenching of them all. Chasing a target of 237 set by Pakistan in the final of the 2012 Asia Cup, the Bangla tigers came agonizingly close only to fall short of the target by 2 runs.

Requiring around 60 runs in 8 overs with 7 wickets hand at one stage, it appeared like a cakewalk for Bangladesh. But their middle and lower order failed miserably, leaving the Dhaka crowd in tears. The images of a crying Nasir Hossain and a heartbroken Mushfiqur Rahim resting his head on Shakib Al Hasan's chest left the cricketing world in dismay.

#4 Inzamam-ul-Haq's last ODI match, Zimbabwe v Pakistan

The former Pakistani skipper was a very animated cricketer, making him a stock of ridicule for the trolls. From many amusing run-outs to even hitting a spectator with the bat, 'Inzi' will be remembered for various humorous incidents on and off the field.

The Multan-born cricketer played his last ODI in a green shirt against Zimbabwe in Kingston. Right after he was dismissed for 37 by Tawanda Mupariwa and he started his walk back to the dressing room, the big man broke down in tears. The final match is an emotional one for every cricketer, and being a naturally emotional person, the owner of 10 ODI tons couldn't control his feelings.

#3 Michael Clarke's tribute to Phil Hughes

Unlike the previous two entries on the list, this incident didn't take place on the field. Australian batsman, Phillip Hughes' tragic death left a huge void in cricket, something that couldn't be filled by anyone.

Giving an official statement on behalf of the Australian cricketers and support staff, Clarke broke down in tears. In a shaky voice, he finally said, "We loved him and always will."

#2 Vinod Kambli - 1996 Wills World Cup semi-final

A lot has been said about the 1996 Wills World Cup semi-final match between India and Sri Lanka, but perhaps the image of a crying Vinod Kambli is the most striking. Chasing a target of 252, India were comfortably placed at 98/1, thanks to a great innings from Sachin Tendulkar.

However, following his dismissal, India lost 7 wickets for just 22 runs. After the fall of the eighth wicket in the form of Aashish Kapoor, the fans started expressing their disgust, and the umpires had to call off the game. Vinod Kambli, who was not out on 10, burst into tears.

#1 South African cricketers - South Africa v New Zealand, ICC Cricket World Cup 2015

The semi-final of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup between the Proteas and the Kiwis was a closely-contested one, and the Black Caps won the game with a ball to spare. The images that followed were horrifying for a cricket fan.

De Villiers was left shell-shocked even as the gigantic Morne Morkel sat on the pitch, unable to hold back tears while Dale Steyn walked around in an attempt to cheer everyone up.