For many years, cricketers, pundits, and spectators have been perplexed by the concept of commentator’s curse. Examples of the concept are: When the commentators praise a batsman who is playing well and he suddenly gets out or when a quality fielder drops a routine catch.
So, is it simply a myth, or pure coincidence? There is no clear cut answer. But the fact that it is there, very much there, cannot be ignored.
Here are three examples of players being troubled/benefitted by commentators curse in international cricket:
#3 Ranil Abeynaike – Sourav Ganguly
This incident is from the 4-match ODI series between India and Sri Lanka in 2007. The first match at Eden Gardens got washed out. Sri Lanka won the second game and India made a comeback in the third. So, the last match at Vizag became the decider of the series.
Due to a damp outfield, the match was reduced to 47 overs. Sri Lanka batted first and gave India a total of 260 runs to chase. After India lost their third wicket at 118, Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh steadied the ship. At the end of the 27th over, India were 161/3. Sanath Jayasuriya came in to bowl the 28th over. Before the third delivery of his over, Sri Lankan commentator Ranil Abeynaike stated that it would not be easy for Indian batters to attack Jayasuriya.
“Sanath Jayasuriya is a very experienced bowler and he is going to bowl at a trajectory where Indian batsmen can’t come down the track and attack him.”, said Abeynaike.
Ganguly immediately gave a reply to Ranil as he glided down the track before launching a flighted delivery of Jayasuriya into the deep midwicket stands. “Just as I said it, he comes down the track and a big hit. That’s gone all the way. Six runs.”, Abeynaike said.
The other commentator Bruce Yardley poked fun at Ranil by saying: “That’s a fabulous shot from Ganguly. You set yourself up for that, didn’t you, Ranil. Ha ha.”
#2 Michael Holding – Harbhajan Singh
During the iconic Natwest Series Final in 2002, Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif added 121 runs for the sixth wicket to get India back into the game. After Yuvraj’s dismissal, Harbhajan Singh came in to bat at no. 8. However, the West Indian legend Michael Holding who was in the commentary box, wasn’t impressed with the decision. He opined that Zaheer Khan should have come in, as he was better equipped to clear the boundary.
“I just wonder if India should have sent Zaheer Khan instead of Harbhajan Singh at this point. I consider him a powerful hitter of the ball and they need more than a run-a-ball.”, Holding had said right before the third ball of the 44th over.
Just as Holding completed his sentence, Harbhajan whacked Paul Collingwood for a six in the square leg area. Former Carribean pacer immediately admitted on-air that he had received his response. “Well, that answers my question. That puts me back into my box as they would say, What a Shot”, said Holding.
#1 Mark Nicholas – David Warner
This incident is from the South Africa tour of Australia 2016-17. Australia were on top as they were 158/0 in 35.1 overs, in reply to South Africa’s 242 in the first innings of the Perth Test. David Warner was looking dangerous at 97 striking at almost run-a-ball.
This is when commentator Mark Nicholas decided to inform the viewers that Warner had never got out in the Nervous nineties in Test Cricket. Shane Warne, his co-commentator, was irritated by the act of Mark bringing up that trivia because he thought that might put the “Commentator’s curse” on Warner. This is what exactly happened as Warner edged the next ball to Hashim Amla standing at slips.
The following is the transcript of their conversation:
Nicholas: “He moves to 97. Never been out in the 90s.”
Warne: “Mark, sorry, what did you just say then? You say he never been out in the 90s.”
Nicholas: “In a Test match he has never been out in the 90s.”
Warne: “Oh, no. Never been out in the 90s, why did you have to bring that up? ”
After the dismissal, Warne jumped off furiously from his seat. “He’s gone…97, bounce and a perfect line from Dale Steyn. And Hashim Amla finished the job. Disbelief elsewhere, but not in this room.”, Nicholas was left scratching his head.
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