Shahid Afridi, Ricky Ponting, Liverpool fans and Ronnie O’Sullivan: Sport’s gracious and sore losers!

After Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi wished India all the best in the cricket World Cup final with a very gracious speech after a semi final loss, we took a look at other fine examples of those that were magnanimous in defeat and those that didn't handle it well at all.

GRACIOUS IN DEFEAT

RICKY PONTING
For all his whinging we'd just like to point out that he is actually capable of losing gracefully too, with the second Test of the 2009 Ashes series being a great example. In the Lord's long room, Ponting waited at the entrance to shake the end of every victorious England cricket player after their 115-run win.

LIVERPOOL FANS
In one of the most dramatic ends to a football season, Arsenal snatched the old First Division title from the hands of Liverpool at Anfield in 1989. The Gunners went into the match three points behind and needing to win by two goals against a Reds side that had been unbeaten since January. At the final whistle, the thousands of Liverpool fans stayed in the ground to applaud the new champions.

MAN UNITED'S GUARD OF HONOUR
In 2005, Man United's players formed the guard of honour to welcome the newly-crowned Premier League champions, Chelsea onto the Old Trafford turf in recognition of the Blues' achievement. Two years later at Stamford Bridge, John Terry and his boys afforded United the same gesture when they turned up as champions.

SORE LOSERS

RICKY PONTING
Here's the Ricky we all know and love (to hate). Instead of accepting that substitute fielder Gary Pratt had run him out and quietly leaving the field, the Aussie captain snarled at the England balcony as he departed during the 2005 Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.

LUCIANO GUACCI
Chairman of Perugia in 2002, the Italian claimed he would cancel the contract of Ahn Jung-hwan, the South Korean whose goal put Italy out of the World Cup. “I have no intention of paying a salary to someone who has ruined Italian football,” he said. Despite taking back his comments, Ahn still never played for them again.

RONNIE O'SULLIVAN
In 2006, the rocket missed a pot against Stephen Hendry in their UK Championship quarter final match. Unhappy with his performance, he conceded the entire match to the Scot when he was 4-1 down in the best of 17-frame game.