1. Dennis Lillee vs Javed Miandad, 1981
One of the earliest and most shocking on-field confrontations involved two of the game's toughest characters. During a Test match in Perth, Pakistani batsman Javed Miandad clipped a ball for a single. As he ran, his path was blocked by Australian fast
bowler Dennis Lillee. A collision occurred, words were exchanged, and Lillee appeared to kick Miandad. The Pakistani captain, never one to back down, raised his bat as if to strike the bowler. Umpires and players had to intervene to separate the two furious competitors in a scene that remains one of cricket's ugliest images. Lillee was later fined for his role in instigating the incident which tarnished the reputations of both great players.
2. Harbhajan Singh vs Sreesanth, 2008
Dubbed 'Slapgate', this incident during the very first IPL season became instantly infamous. After a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab, an inconsolable Sreesanth was seen sobbing on camera. It soon emerged that Mumbai's stand-in captain, Harbhajan Singh, had slapped him during the post-match handshakes. The trigger was reportedly Sreesanth's 'hard luck' comment to Harbhajan after Punjab's victory. The fallout was immediate and severe: Harbhajan was banned for the remainder of the IPL season and also received a five-ODI ban from the BCCI. Though the two players eventually reconciled, the image of a tearful Sreesanth and the subsequent controversy remain a dark chapter in IPL history.
3. Gautam Gambhir vs Virat Kohli, 2013 & 2023
Two of India's most passionate and aggressive cricketers, Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli, have clashed more than once. Their most notable feud began in a 2013 IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore. After Kohli's dismissal, he exchanged words with KKR players, prompting captain Gambhir to march angrily towards him. The two Delhi teammates had a heated shouting match and had to be separated by fellow player Rajat Bhatia. A decade later, the animosity flared up again in IPL 2023, this time with Gambhir as the mentor for Lucknow Super Giants. A tense post-match handshake led to another furious argument, with players and staff from both teams stepping in to keep them apart. Both were heavily fined for the public spat.
4. Kieron Pollard vs Mitchell Starc, 2014
The IPL witnessed another explosive moment in 2014, this time between Mumbai Indians' Kieron Pollard and RCB's Mitchell Starc. The confrontation started when Starc bowled a bouncer and followed it up with some words, which Pollard dismissed with a wave. As Starc ran in for the next ball, Pollard pulled away from the stumps. Starc, however, did not abort his delivery and fired the ball towards Pollard's legs. Enraged, Pollard responded by flinging his bat in the bowler's direction. Luckily, the bat slipped and thudded harmlessly onto the pitch, but the message was clear. Umpires and players rushed in to calm the situation. Both players were later fined for their Level 2 offences under the IPL's code of conduct.
5. Shane Warne vs Marlon Samuels, 2013
The Big Bash League in Australia provided the stage for a fiery clash between two of the game's biggest personalities: Shane Warne and Marlon Samuels. The trouble started when Samuels appeared to hold back David Hussey during the Melbourne Stars' innings. When it was Warne's turn to bowl to Samuels, the tension was palpable. While mic'd up for commentary, Warne was heard making aggressive comments. On the field, he poked Samuels in the chest and grabbed his shirt. The confrontation escalated when Warne fielded a ball and threw it at Samuels, hitting him. In retaliation, Samuels threw his bat in Warne's direction. Both players were fined, and Warne received a one-match ban for his part in the ugly stoush.
