Top 5 emotional moments in the history of cricket

4. Vinod Kambli in tears after losing in the semi-finals of World Cup 1996

This was really a heart breaking, emotional and sad moment for all Indian cricket fans. Indian team, after defeating Pakistan in the quarters of the 1996 World Cup, were up against Sri Lanka in the semifinals.

Angered by an Indian collapse of seven wickets for 22 runs, after India were on course at 98 for 1 chasing 252, some sections of the Eden Gardens crowd threw bottles on to the outfield and set fire to the seating. Match referee Clive Lloyd took the teams off for 15 minutes, attempted a restart and then awarded Sri Lanka the game by default.

Vinod Kambli, who walked in at No. 5, had watched partners walk in and leave, after being unable to come to grips with the vicious turn that the Sri Lankan spinners were extracting from the mud-cake pitch. Walking off the field after the result was decided, Kambli couldn’t contain himself and started crying. Kambli’s tears symbolised both the anguish and the shame.