Sreesanth explains celebration behind Hayden's wicket at T20 World Cup 2007

Former Indian cricketer S Sreesanth was known for his wild celebrations, especially after taking big wickets. Australian opener Matthew Hayden likely remembers the Kerala pacer’s antics vividly after being dismissed by Sreesanth in the semifinal of the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in Durban on September 22, 2007.

Sreesanth bowled a yorker from around the wicket to uproot the stumps, ending Hayden’s well-crafted innings of 62. Fired up, Sreesanth ran to the other end, crouched down, and slapped the wicket three times in celebration. Now, after 18 years, the two-time World Cup winner has reflected on that memorable moment, sharing that WWE is what inspired him to do that kind of celebration after dismissing the Aussie opener.

"Matthew Hayden looks so big. Most people don't know why I did what I did. So, he got bowled, and what do you do in WWF (World Wrestling Federation), 'three taps and you are out'," Sreesanth said during Cheeky Singles on JioHotstar.

The right-arm pacer’s celebration was inspired by the popular American wrestling entertainment event, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), formerly known as WWF. With a massive global following, WWE’s scripted wrestling dramas captivated Sreesanth, who was a fan of that program, apart from being a fiery pacer of his active days in international cricket.

Sreesanth dismissing Hayden proved to be a turning point in the semifinal match. Australia had been in a strong position at 134/2 in 14.3 overs while chasing India’s total of 188/5. India went on to win by 15 runs, with Sreesanth taking 2 wickets for 12 runs. His most memorable moment came when he caught Misbah-ul-Haq at fine leg to claim the final wicket and secure India’s maiden T20 World Cup title.

What is Sreesanth upto these days?

In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Sreesanth represented Rajasthan Royals (RR). He was the first Kerala Ranji player to play T20Is for the Men in Blue. Initially banned for life following the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal, his ban was later reduced to seven years in August 2019. In 2018, he participated in the reality show Bigg Boss and finished as the runner-up. He resumed his cricket career in 2020 by joining the Kerala state team, and announced his retirement from domestic cricket in March 2022. He currently enjoys commentary stints during matches.