List Of Cricketers Who Copied Footballers’ Celebrations

With billions of fans around the world, it’s an unequivocal fact that cricket and football are two of the most followed sports worldwide. Also, both these sports are known equally for their aggressive celebrations and high-spirited moments on the field. Although a few years back, only footballers were known for their thrilling post-victory moves, with time, cricketers have also made their mark with their iconic and action-packed celebratory moves on the field. However, the history of cricket has witnessed a few incidents where prominent cricketers like KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj and many others were seen copying the famous celebratory moves of iconic footballers while celebrating their winning streak on the field. 

List Of Cricketers Who Copied Football While Celebrating Their Victories On The Field

• Kannur Lokesh Rahul, India 

Often hailed as one of the finest top-order batsmen of the Indian cricket team, KL Rahul is known for his placid and invigorating approach on the field even under the most challenging situations. The second ODI match between India and West Indies in 2019 proved to be one such path-breaking match for KL Rahul when he went all-in to prove his dominance on the field and successfully registered a century against the West Indies. 

What happened next on the field instantly garnered KL Rahul enormous attention from the fans of both cricket and football. KL Rahul replicated Leicester City footballer Ayoze Pérez while celebrating his century by sticking both his fingers in his ears. Although the cricketer was questioned about his victory celebration style after the match, he responded that he wanted to keep it a “mystery”. 

Also Read: Underrated Players To Watch Out For At Champions League 2024-25

• Wanindu Hasaranga, Sri Lanka

One of the finest bowling all-rounders and former captain of the Sri Lankan cricket team in the T20I format, Wanindu Hasaranga is often referred to as the ultimate king of deadly googly deliveries. Wanindu Hasaranga witnessed an incredible Indian Premier League (IPL) season in 2022 as he picked up the most crucial wickets throughout the tournament for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) franchise. 

The Sri Lankan spinner’s “Hang Loose” style to celebrate the match-winning wickets was inspired by Brazilian star footballer Neymar Junior. When questioned about his style of celebrating victory on the field, Wanindu Hasaranga made it obvious that he was deeply inspired by the Brazilian star football player Neymar Junior and his “hang loose” move was entirely copied from him. 

• David Miller, South Africa 

David Andrew Miller, often hailed as one of the most reliable middle-order batsmen in the limited overs format, is undoubtedly a prominent name in the annals of international cricket. David Miller garnered enormous attention from the fans and supporters of cricket as well as football during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season as he celebrated his iconic match-winning innings against Chennai Super Kings. 

After defeating Chennai Super Kings with his path-breaking innings, David Miller intensified the celebrations of the Gujarat Titans squad by copying the iconic sliding move of an iconic football player and former Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale. 

• Suryakumar Yadav, India 

Currently, one of the most sensational and popular Indian cricketers, Suryakumar Yadav, aka “SKY”, played a crucial role in assisting India to beat South Africa and clinch the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup by taking one of the most stunning and unbelievable catches in the entire tournament, is at the fourth spot on our list of top five cricketers who have copied iconic footballers while celebrating their victories on the cricket field.

One of the best shot-makers of the Indian cricket team, Suryakumar Yadav undoubtedly nailed it with a phenomenal 79* runs off just 43 deliveries innings of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 season.