Top 10 weird celebrations in cricket history

With the commencement of T20 cricket, people have started finding the sport even more enthralling as they expect a jam-packed action on each ball. Adding to that, T20 leagues around the world such as BBL, CPL, PSL and especially the IPL, have increased the entertainment value exponentially. 

As players enjoy their game in different parts of the world, it is natural that there will subsequently be trademark celebrations performed by certain players. This is a way of showing how much the sport means to them and they will put their all to excel in it. 

With the emerging crop of players being more inclined towards an open display of their feelings on the field, this trend is not going to die off soon. This is probably for the best as it helps the fans have a deep connection with the players as they think that these players aren’t just playing for the sake of it but genuinely love the game.

Here is a look at 10 of the weirdest celebrations in cricket: 

10. Shikhar Dhawan’s Thigh Five

Every cricket junkie in India by now would have noticed the unique celebration of the dashing Indian opener, Shikhar Dhawan. His thigh-five celebration has become quite famous among Indian families and children. The left-handed batsman disclosed the source of his incredible trademark celebration recently.

In an interview, he explained that he got the idea for his thigh-five celebration after watching Kabaddi. He enjoys Indian Kabaddi as it is a masculine sport and was dazzled by the indigenous celebration, he added. 

Dhawan, who is often called ‘Gabbar’ by his fans, said, “I started the Kabaddi-style celebration first in Australia when I took a catch to dismiss Shane Watson. I enjoy watching Kabaddi. It is very entertaining for me. I do this with all my heart and that’s why maybe people also like it. Whenever I stand at the boundary, fans see me and re-enact my kabaddi-style celebration.” Fans indeed are loving the celebration and look forward to many more thigh fives in the years to come.

9. Mushfiqur Rahim’s Dragon Celebration

One of the best batsmen and probably the best wicket-keeper batsman produced by Bangladesh cricket, Mushfiqur Rahim is no muck with the bat. He is one Bangladeshi player who likes to sledge the opposition and tends to chirp a lot behind the stumps. But this time, it was all the more memorable. 

He scored a double century vs Zimbabwe at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. As soon as he reached the milestone, he took off his helmet and started emulating a dragon with his mouth wide open, eyes popping out and hands positioned like claws. 

However, it wasn’t random at all. When asked about it, he said, “The celebration was for my son. He loves dragons so much, he likes this posture. So I did it for him.” This was his fifth double century in Tests, a feat which no Bangladeshi has ever achieved. Rahim may be short in height, but is certainly a father who loves his son to no extent. 

8. Hasan Ali’s Bomb Explosion 

If after Shahid Afridi’s iconic Mr. X celebration there’s a celebration which is as popular as that, it is Hasan Ali‘s Bomb Explosion one. He performs this every time after securing a wicket. He crouches down and then gets up, spreading his hands. He has stated multiple times that enjoys performing his celebration and that it provides him energy.

He also has a chain on his neck which has a pendant representing his signature celebratory stance. Well, after having spotted the trademark on his chain it is no wonder that this fact rings true. 

This celebration has led to him being mocked as well. During an ODI against Zimbabwe in July 2018, Ali had dismissed Ryan Murray but after completing the customary celebration, he realized that he had pulled a neck muscle. Many of his teammates were seen laughing at him and the video clip had gone viral. However, he must continue with the celebration as it is now an essential part of his identity.

7. Crawling Panyangara

A cricketer whose one-off celebration has been the highlight of his career, Tinashe Panyangara‘s celebration tickled fans across the globe. This happened during the ICC 2015 World Cup when Zimbabwe were playing against South Africa at Hamilton. 

At that time, the Proteas had a star-studded batting lineup with Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy and David Miller in their ranks. Zimbabwe was desperate for a wicket and Panyangara picked the wicket of the mighty Hashim Amla at the very moment. Who wouldn’t be excited after removing a player of Amla’s caliber?

But, Panyangara was so ecstatic that went down to the ground and celebrated it by crawling, which also looked like a singing bass fish. This celebration is popularly termed as ‘The Big Mouth Billy Bass’ celebration. Panyangara may not be remembered by everyone, but this celebration will be fresh in the minds of many fans across the globe.

6. Sreesanth Flinging his Bat 

Talking about weird celebrations, S Sreesanth is one name in Indian cricket that will feature in such lists every time. He is one cricketer who has often been criticized for his over-the-top celebrations indicating extra aggression and sometimes even disrespect. However, the events which led to the celebration weren’t initiated by him for a change. 

The incident occurred way back in 2007 at Johannesburg when India was touring South Africa. It was the first Test match of the series and India was on top which didn’t go well with a Protea pacer, Andre Nel. When talking about what led to that celebration, Sreesanth said “Andre Nel was talking a lot. He kept saying that Indians don’t have a heart and that they (South Africa) were the better team.”

And guess what happened after those sledges? Sreesanth stepped out, swung his bat as hard as he could and the ball went for a six. He started swinging the bat at Andre Nel so as to show his sheer dominance at him. Later, even Sreesanth termed this moment as ‘momentary madness’. 

5. Fabian Allen’s Tap Dance

Fabian Allen is an entertainment package in all facets of the game. His left arm orthodox spin, his big-hitting and his outrageous fielding make him a player to watch out for in the future. Like some of his Caribbean seniors, he too has a special celebration – his tap dance. 

After taking a wicket, he performs his tap dance and simultaneously moves his head like a bobblehead. A unique explanation for a unique celebration indeed. Fans will want this man to keep entertain him with his skills and dance for at least a decade or so.

4. Daren Sammy’s Baby Celebration

One of the best T20 captains ever, Daren Sammy is the only player to win two T20 World Cups as captain. One of the gentlest guys off the field, he is a brutal six-hitter. He hits most of his aerial shots down the ground and the saying “If it’s in the arc, it’s out of the park” suits him perfectly. Along with his cricketing skills, he had a unique celebration way back in 2013.

With a pacifier around his neck like a pendant, he sucked on it every time he sent a batsman packing. He simultaneously acted like he was putting a baby to sleep. When asked about the celebration, he said, “I just had a baby girl back home and I was in my room thinking about how I would celebrate. I saw my baby girl suck on the pacifier and then I said to myself, ‘OH, I will get my pacifier out after a wicket or a landmark’ and that’s how this style of celebrating came about.” 

He further added, “We West Indians want everyone to know how to celebrate. The thing is we enjoy our cricket. Once you go out there and enjoy your game, the passion always comes out.’ He truly has been one of the great ambassadors of the game and continues to show his passion in the commentary box as well. 

3. Qais Ahmad’s Front Flip

Coming from the part of the world which has been producing quality spinners for half a decade or so, Qais Ahmad has impressed quite a few with his leg-spin bowling. He has broken into the Afghanistan national team but hasn’t been able to fix his spot due to the presence of established spinners – Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. 

However, his celebration has fixed a tiny spot in the minds of fans who witnessed it. The first glimpse was during CPL 2018 when he was playing for the St Lucia Stars, now Kings against the Barbados Tridents, now Royals. After picking a wicket, the youngster ran a bit and then flipped himself, acrobatically. 

Ahmad stumbled a bit while landing but was lucky enough to not get injured during such an acrobatic celebration. After that, he started to celebrate in this fashion each time he took a wicket. Though it is an injury risk celebration, if it brings out the best in him and gives him the drive to take a wicket, it is worth doing it. 

2. Tabraiz Shamsi’s Satan Mask

Currently, the number 1 ranked T20I bowler in the world, Tabraiz Shami brings a special and rare skill set onto the table, a left-arm leg spinner. Adding to that, another special component he brings is his unique celebrations.

In 2018, he churned out a way of celebrating a dismissal, pulling out a mask similar to a Satan. He used this playing for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the CPL and also for the Paarl Rocks in the MSL. To his dismay, it didn’t go down well with the International Cricket Council (ICC).

ICC banned the celebration with immediate effect. Shamsi clarified his stance by posting on Twitter and said, “My celebrations are just a bit of light-hearted fun and entertainment while competing against my peers under highly pressured situations with absolutely no disrespect meant to the game or the opposition but hey… it is what it is.” Eventually, we won’t get to see such a celebration again but the kind of character Shamsi is, expect nothing less from him. 

1. Bangladesh Team’s Nagin Dance 

Ever seen each member of a team performing a celebration simultaneously together? That’s exactly how the Bangladeshi celebrated by showcasing the Nagin Dance to fans across the world. The incident took place in the 6th match of the Nidahas Trophy series which was played between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It was a virtual semi-final for both the teams as the winner would proceed to meet India in the finals.

After a see-saw of a game, Bangladesh managed to win on the penultimate ball. Soon, after the match in the heat of the moment, the Bangladesh team gathered in the middle of the ground to celebrate the victory performing the ‘Nagin’ dance. The reason behind the celebration has its roots in an incident that took place in early 2018. 

It all began when Nazmul Islam celebrated Upul Tharanga’s wicket in the first T20I of Sri Lanka’s tour of Bangladesh. Nazmul broke into the ‘snake dance’ celebration at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. However, as pundits say, Karma hits you hard and that’s exactly what happened in the Nidahas Trophy final against India. Bangladesh lost on the last ball after Dinesh Karthik’s brilliance and as a result, the entire stadium was seen performing the Nagin dance to mock Bangladesh.