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What's the most heartbreaking moment you've experienced as a cricket fan?

Firebat

Firebat

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For Pakistani cricket fans, I'm sure there's no shortage of heartbreaking moments you've witnessed.

A few World Cup losses come to mind.
 
54 allout, losing to SL by a margin of 245 runs, the highest margin then.

Losing Chennai test vs Pakistan.
 
2007 T20 World Cup final. Its the childhood traumas that always stay with you.
 
Sydney 2009 Kamran Akmal five drop catches of Hussey,
2010 t20 wc semi final Ajmal over to Hussey,
Amir and Asif Ban 2010,
CT 2009 semi final lost against NZ Umar Akmal inside edge given by Simon Taufel,
2011 Semi final mohali lost Tendulkar LBW catch drops,
Saeed Ajmal ban near 2015 WC.

1999 Hobart Pak vs Aus 2nd test Justin Langer given not out b Wasim Australia went on to chase 370, 2020 Pak vs Eng 1st test Chirs woakes chased 270 odd when Pak had upper hand throughout the match.
 
My top 3
1. Pakistan vs India semi final 2011 mohali
Misbahs strange innings still baffles me today at one point he was 10 off 33 which basically lost us the game and his drop catch of Sachin which was the easiest. +
The 4 other drops and ajmal lbw drama.

2. Pakistan vs India 2007 t20 WC final.
That scoop from Misbah was not on!! He had just hit a straight six. Joginder was under pressure he could’ve easily played straight into the gap but his brain fade cost us.

3. Pakistan vs Australia 2010 t20 semi final. The run rate was at 12 and Ajmal already went for a few in the 18th over but idk why Afridi still gave him the last over as a spinner with a short boundary and wind behind Hussey.. Razzaq had overs left and Amir could’ve bowled the 20th instead of 19th which should’ve been given to Razzaq.

All 3 of these games broke my heart cause they should’ve all been won by pak which would’ve probably meant 3 more world titles. I remember staying up all night for all these games since I’m in NZ time zone and the next day me and my brother would play cricket and act like the pak players actually finishing the games off to make ourselves feel better. But in the end pak messed it up big time because of their own individual mistakes especially Misbah who did it frequently in the big games.
 
Most heart breaking moments for me as a cricket fan :-

1. Sachin's retirement. No need to say anything about it. My childhood and that of many kids of the 1990s officially ended that day and when it all started coming back in my memories, I was too overwhelmed. I don't know how I was able to stand through the retirement speech. When Sachin returned to the middle one last time that day to bow his head to the pitch at Wankhede and kiss the soil, I lost it.


2. SF loss to NZ in 2019 WC. Dhoni in tears hit me deep.

3. Bob Woolmer's death / Inzamam's ODI retirement walk back to pavillion. Seeing big Inzy breaking down really hit me more than I would have imagined. India had also lost the same day to Bangladesh when Pakistan lost to Irelend. It has to be overall the worst day for #AsianBloc

4. Phil Hughes death. Just started seeing cricket different after that day.

5. RSA losing to Aussies in 1999 SF
As an Indian I had no stakes in that match but Lance Klusener did not deserve to go home defeated that day and he didn't deserve to go back home without the world cup trophy. That dude left it all on the pitch. Till now, Klusener 1999 in my opinion had the best ever world cup campaign for a cricketer. He was bloody amazing and clutch in 1999
 
Pak vs Aus D/N test 2016 Asad Shafiq fell short of 30 runs chasing 460
Pak vs NZ UAE test match 2018 Azhar Ali fell short of target by few runs
Pak tour South Africa 3rd test 2007, 2nd test 2013, 1st test 2018-19, in all three Pak was close, heartbreak b/c winning in SA is ecstatic
 
That 1996 World Cup Quarter Final was definitely the most heart breaking for me.
 
sydney 2009,

hobart 99,

lords wc final 99.... guess you are sensing a pattern here.....i will go to my grave claiming that if langer was given out and we won in 99 at hobart you would have seen a diff pakistan for the next few years....same goes for 2009 and the Wc final.
 
1. Yuvraj 11(21), ind vs sl t20 final 14, worst day as a cricket fan.

2. Ct 17, losing to arch rivals in the finals and that too by a humongous margin.

3. Adelaide test 14, Kohli looked unstoppable that day.

4. Ind vs aus wc 15.

5. Ind vs aus SCG 07.
 
World Cup 2007 Final

World Cup 2011 vs India, Mohali

And in both chief architects were Mr. Misbah Ul Haq
 
India's 2003 WC final loss to Australia. I did not fully understand the disparity in class of those two teams back then. It was also the first full tournament of ant sport I watched.

Aussies spanked us good and I became a real cricket fan.
 
jeeteshssaxena said:
1. Yuvraj 11(21), ind vs sl t20 final 14, worst day as a cricket fan.

2. Ct 17, losing to arch rivals in the finals and that too by a humongous margin.

3. Adelaide test 14, Kohli looked unstoppable that day.

4. Ind vs aus wc 15.

5. Ind vs aus SCG 07.
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1st of those was rage inducing for me. I didn't mind losing as much as the way we lost.

Third was actually hope inducing for me. That inning signalled that we will be playing to win tests from then on.
 
The idiots contriving to bowl deliberate no-balls at Lord's; Woolmer's death in the Caribbean; Pakistan's defeat to India at Rawalpindi in 2004; Sydney 2010; and the bowling cock-up at Hobart in 1999.
 
2011 Mohali the most heartbreaking for me.

I had school that day and chose to go so I only got to watch a chunk of the first innings. The most notable moment I saw was Wahab getting Kohli (it would've been Wahab clean bowling Yuvraj with that reverse swinging delivery but my genius behind decided to go to the bathroom). I was nervous throughout the school day until I came home to my dad just shaking his head in disappointment as Pakistan had lost.

I hadn't properly watched, nor did I wanted to watch, the highlights for about the next month but eventually I got around to it. I believe Pakistan toured WI after the 2011 WC but even then I was depressed. Sachin getting dropped four times, the way Hafeez got out, Misbah's innings... lol yeah no thanks, I'm good :shezzy2.
 
ChTab said:
2007 Misbah scoop in the final :facepalm
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I know pressure was on at an all-time high, but man Misbah could've easily hit that delivery the same way he did with the 6 he hit earlier in that over.
 
TeamPak95 said:
I know pressure was on at an all-time high, but man Misbah could've easily hit that delivery the same way he did with the 6 he hit earlier in that over.
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Exactly I still remember that night, could not believe what Misbah has done.
 
Some years ago when Dale Steyn put his hand over his mouth to hide his laughter, after dismissing one of my all time favourite players for the 15th time or whatever it was. It was heartbreaking stuff. This was supposed to be a Superman v Batman duel , and turned out to be Superman v Paddington bear fight instead.
 
Vizag said:
54 allout, losing to SL by a margin of 245 runs, the highest margin then.
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This. Probably the earliest but still among the most humiliating memories of mine when I started watching cricket. It took a 2001 Eden Gardens win to really get me going again to the game.
 
Majid Khan said:
Some years ago when Dale Steyn put his hand over his mouth to hide his laughter, after dismissing one of my all time favourite players for the 15th time or whatever it was. It was heartbreaking stuff. This was supposed to be a Superman v Batman duel , and turned out to be Superman v Paddington bear fight instead.
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I could back to this website 20 years from now and Majid Bhai would still be writing tributes for Vol 3.0 :)) :))
 
Misbah's infamous scoop. I was unable to sleep that night. We had lost to India by the barest of margins twice in 2 weeks.

2016 wt20 loss to nz was sort of a watershed moment regarding how far our team had fallen compared to other modern teams. No aggressive players, batters unable to read variations, no boundaries after powerplays, spinners unable to contain, pacers failing to take wickets or hold the run rate. It was a slap in the face of all Pakistani conspiracy theorists.

The ODI series loss to Bangladesh 2015 was another low point that stamped mediocrity on our LOI team.

Looking back now the loss to Ireland doesn't really hurt that much cause of the proceeding wt20 campaign.

The 2003 wc (pakistan's games) was painful to watch.
 
The 0-4 in Australia in 2011/12.

It was a sad end to our great era of players.
 
1999 Final
2007 T20 Final
2010 Sydney Test
2010 T20 Semi Final
2009 Champions Trophy Semi Final
2011 WC Semi Final
 
2003 world cup vs India.

Boy did we cop a lot of abuse from the Indians at school on Monday :))
 
I don't feel heartbroken at pure thrashings like 2003 wc final, 2016 CT final etc. They belong in the embarrassment list along with 54 AO, 36 AO as far as i am concerned.

Its the nailbiters that get to me like anything.

Like some Pakistanis mentioned the Karachi 2004 match. I would be crying about it till today lol what a match it was. I am sure the 2007 WT20 final loss would have hurt that match got too tense and close in the end.

I mentione 1999 SF in my list.
Apart from that Brett Lee on his knees at the end of Edgebaston test was quite sad to see.
Kane Williamson and Kiwis after 2019 final. I felt they were robbed :(
 
freelance_cricketer said:
I don't feel heartbroken at pure thrashings like 2003 wc final, 2016 CT final etc. They belong in the embarrassment list along with 54 AO, 36 AO as far as i am concerned.

Its the nailbiters that get to me like anything.

Like some Pakistanis mentioned the Karachi 2004 match. I would be crying about it till today lol what a match it was. I am sure the 2007 WT20 final loss would have hurt that match got too tense and close in the end.

I mentione 1999 SF in my list.
Apart from that Brett Lee on his knees at the end of Edgebaston test was quite sad to see.
Kane Williamson and Kiwis after 2019 final. I felt they were robbed :(
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The 36 AO has quickly been erased from my memory thanks to the series win that followed :)
 
Napa said:
The 36 AO has quickly been erased from my memory thanks to the series win that followed :)
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In hindsight, each of those embarrassments were forgotten after a great triumph. That's life.

Just that thrashings are always the days you want to complete erase from your memory like they never happened. The very thought of such matches spoils your mood.

But the close matches, you don't wanna forget them because you're proud of taking it all the way till the end. That's why they hurt so much. They were almost our moments.
 
2007 World T20 final loss to India
2007 WC loss to Ireland
2011 WC semi loss to India
 
Mine are a strange a few...

1986? ...Windies v Pak: Deciding test match in late 80s in West Indies; when Winston Benjamin took em over the line, i think the test win made it 1-1.
We were the only team to challenge Windies in the mid to late 80s...and apprently Jeff Dujon was caught off Qadir and people heard the nick in the stands...lol.
I was 15/16, and listened to the commentary in my attic on my SW radio in the small town of Darwen (near Blackburn).

1987: Pak v Eng 3rd odi...Cant remember the ground in England... Edgbaston may be?
We lost the decider to lose the series 2-1.
Phil Defreitas played a cameo whilst chasing.

2000?...Losing a decider against Windies in a test series, when Akram bowled his heart out.
Jimmy Adams took Windies over the line...how on earth did Saqlain miss that run out chance when Big Curtley was way out of his ground chasing an impossible single?

...And of course...those missed chances by Kamran Akmal against the Aussies; we lost to Australia a test match chasing a modest 4th inns total.
 
Correction:
1988: Was Benjamins match, not 1986.

And...Kamran misses were at Sydney Jan 2010...of course.
 
The 96 World Cup match was one of those games where the match turned in the blink of an eye.

But the one that hurts the most is that 99 World Cup final - Pakistan just did not turn up at all. It was almost as if this was some club side playing against an international team. Stage-fright, pressure or whatever else - it was embarrassing and horrible to watch.
 
Napa said:
The 36 AO has quickly been erased from my memory thanks to the series win that followed :)
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If there is something that defines a word 'sweetest humiliation' , 36 AO is surely that one.
 
I don't think you're ever truly heartbroken in absolute drubbings. It's the ones where you know there's a decent chance of victory but then falling short in the end that truly breaks my heart.

The Adelaide chase in 2014 by Kohli was close but I wasn't heartbroken as I felt that even if we had chased the target, it would have been an undeserving victory as Australia had thoroughly dominated the match until then and had declared in their 2nd innings only to get something out of the match as the wicket was very flat. I'm a bit of a conservative in that respect, I believe you don't truly deserve your victory when chasing a target after the opposition makes a declaration only to make the match interesting. I did remember watching the '99 Chennai test in the stadium but I was too young to make anything out of it really.

The recent defeats at Edgbaston, Southampton and Cape Town were heart breaking though. Should've won at least one out of those three tests if not for the much famed Indian batting choking badly once again while chasing low targets, particularly in Edgbaston and Cape Town.
 
street cricketer said:
had declared in their 2nd innings only to get something out of the match as the wicket was very flat. .
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That's the whole point actually ... You need to take a risk to win the match and actually if India won they would have totally deserved it.
That's why it's very difficult to choose when to declare, the batting unit plan their innings and adjust their str rates accordingly.
 
jeeteshssaxena said:
That's the whole point actually ... You need to take a risk to win the match and actually if India won they would have totally deserved it.
That's why it's very difficult to choose when to declare, the batting unit plan their innings and adjust their str rates accordingly.
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I know it's not a popular opinion but it's just my thoughts on that tbh. Maybe I'm a bit too orthodox on test cricket, but I don't think India would've truly deserved that victory after being second best for 90% of the match and only being in a position to win because of Australia's generosity with declaration.
 
World Cup final 99 - horrible day

West indies 2000 - worst run out attempt ever

T20 final 2007 - what was he thinking

World Cup semi final 2011 - where do I start?
 
There are many but the one that always stands out is Pakistan v West Indies semi final in the 1979 world cup. After Majid and Zaheer's partnership I was so certain we would win the game. It looked like we were set. And then we collapsed in the blink of an eye. It still haunts me. Miandad's LBW to Colin Croft first ball completely destroyed the confidence of the incoming batsmen Asif Iqbal, Mudasser Nazar and Imran. That was one of the best batting lines up in our history but they just couldn't hold on. Just writing about it now is making me upset all over again!
 
Losing is fine but it hurts knowing that someone has sold out for money and is not even trying to win. I was a fan of Ajay Jadeja's and was too young to understand losing to Zimbabwe in the 1999 World Cup. Dude was middling the ball fluently and still was 23 of 63 balls or something. Absolutely killed the momentum in the chase. And then you saw the likes of Srinath showing 100 times the intent whereas Jadeja was tuk-tukking against Grant flower and refusing to run the 2nd run and asking the likes of Ramesh to calm dow and not be hasty.

When I watched it later and understood what was happening, I realised how much of the cricket I'd watched in my childhood was a lie, lol.
 
1980s (two memories): PAK’s tour of WIN culminating in a drawn series. The prevalent umpiring standards and usual heartbreak.

PAK v AUS semi-final and the 18 run loss.

90s: usual suspects with Sohail’s brain fade in 96, the 99 final and Jimmy Adams / WIN series.

00s: 2009 CT (Younus’ drop), 2007 T20 (first and last T20 WC where I watched more than 3-4 games), Oathgate, Sydney Test

10s: Sydney Test, Mohali (squandered opportunity to chase a meagre total even if he allow for the dropped catches), Edgbaston (we should have won 3-1)

Sadly with life / responsibilities and other things catching on, there is just not as much time for playing or watching cricket anymore.
 
2019 SF against New Zealand.. Hands down.

I knew for sure that Kohli would fall to Boult any moment but was still devastated after it actually happened.
 
Nikhil_cric said:
Losing is fine but it hurts knowing that someone has sold out for money and is not even trying to win. I was a fan of Ajay Jadeja's and was too young to understand losing to Zimbabwe in the 1999 World Cup. Dude was middling the ball fluently and still was 23 of 63 balls or something. Absolutely killed the momentum in the chase. And then you saw the likes of Srinath showing 100 times the intent whereas Jadeja was tuk-tukking against Grant flower and refusing to run the 2nd run and asking the likes of Ramesh to calm dow and not be hasty.

When I watched it later and understood what was happening, I realised how much of the cricket I'd watched in my childhood was a lie, lol.
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like you, I always felt something was amiss during his innings. I had a fallout with a friend who insisted he was fixed so this one made it more heartbreaking
 
When Sachin overstayed his welcome for his 100th century and then celebrated the god awful knock against Bangladesh in a game which India lost, in many ways it was a good summary of his legacy but for a fella who is worshipped as a God in India it was all very miserable to see
 
96 quarter final was an especially traumatic early memory, because it was such a highly-charged match, for much of the second innings we had a good chance, but it slowly ebbed away, and then the pathetic sight of a helpless Miandad at the end trying to shore up Pakistan was depressing.
 
The infamous Sydney Test match in 2010 is still a sickener.

How on earth did Pakistan allow Australia to win that match from a position where they were done and dusted.

Australia who were 206 runs behind after both sides had completed their first innings, were 257/8, yet still manged to win the match by 36 runs.

Some very questionable things happened in that match of course.
 
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Most heartbreaking was 99 wc final. Not because of the outcome of that match but the way they lost. The whole match was really a disappointment as a wc final event.
 
96 world cup against India. Absolute heartbreaking for me. Nothing can match that, Misbah scoop off course come close, and Ajmal over to Hussay.
 
Most heartbreaking was 2010 spot fixing saga.

You win and lose matches, but that was by far the most heartbreaking moment in Cricket for me. There were no words, no comebacks, no defence - couldn't even spin it.
 
Technics 1210 said:
Most heartbreaking was 2010 spot fixing saga.

You win and lose matches, but that was by far the most heartbreaking moment in Cricket for me. There were no words, no comebacks, no defence - couldn't even spin it.
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Same, worst feeling as a cricket fan I had to go through. Yes there can be many heartbreaks when you lose different matches but that is all part and parcel of any sport however 2010 saga was a completely different feeling.

On a side not it always amazes me when I look back at the 2010 Saga and 2009 Srl attack that what happened exactly, with one after another. As these are surely the worst two things that can happen to any cricketing country in two consecutive years and as I have mentioned many times I dont think many countries could have survived in cricket after losing 3 best players of the team and after being alienated to host cricket for almost a decade.
 
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1999 Chennai test...my heart broke into a gazillion number of pieces when Tendulkar got out after playing the greatest knock in the history of test cricket.
 
The most heartbreaking moments i have experienced as a Cricket fan are:-
1) Pakistan's loss to India in 2011 world cup..
2) Pakistan's loss to Australia that over of Ajmal to Hussey...
3) Never ending career of Asad Shafiq.
4) Appointment of Shadab Khan as our vice captain..it frustrates me how a club level Cricketer Shadab is considered as our main player in our team. To me he doesn't deserve to be in the list of centrally contracted players and there is no way to consider him in playing eleven.
5) And finally the most heartbreaking moment in my life is the rise and development of indian cricket team ( I know most people here with criticise me about this but it's true and you can't change my negativity about Indian team and there is a reason for it why I hate indian cricket team and why it's progress is a heartbreaking moment for me)
 
1 - 2007 T20 World Cup Final. Why Misbah why?
2 - 99 World Cup Final - Wasim cost us a World Cup by bating first on a green pitch.
3 - 2011 Semifinal loss to India - I blame the poor fielding more than the batting for this loss. India should have been out for less than 200 had they not dropped catches.
 
Gharib Aadmi said:
1 - 2007 T20 World Cup Final. Why Misbah why?
2 - 99 World Cup Final - Wasim cost us a World Cup by bating first on a green pitch.
3 - 2011 Semifinal loss to India - I blame the poor fielding more than the batting for this loss. India should have been out for less than 200 had they not dropped catches.
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In 99 final conditions were good for batting, ball was nicely coming on to bat. Infact it was a good decision to bat first as it was always the strength of Pakistan and was a high pressure game. They just surrendered against Warne's leg spin, I don't know why people always says it was a green pitch. It was perfect for batting.
 
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