India vs Pakistan: A silver jubilee of 'that six'

Exactly 25 years ago, Javed Miandad swung his bat and cried in euphoria at Sharjah. It was the final delivery of the match bowled by Chetan Sharma, who would still be at a loss to figure out why the ball was released off his hand the way it did then. It was a full-toss and Miandad, already on 110 off 113, deposited the ball beyond the boundary ropes in the mid-wicket region for a six to win his side the match. Words cannot explain what went through both camps as this happened. A few of the Pakistan players were shedding tears of joy and it was a like a funeral in the Indian dressing room. It changed the dynamics of India-Pakistan cricket rivalry forever.

Miandad in action at Sharjah

Chetan Sharma became an instant villain and Miandad a super hero, on both sides of the border. What followed was a period of depression for Sharma, then only 18 years old. He still mentions that people do not allow him to forget ‘that six’, and indeed, it is impossible to take out of mind that amazing day from the minds of all Indian or Pakistani cricket fans. Sharma revived his career and played reasonably well for India, both as a fast bowler and a lower order pinch hitter, having affected a hat-trick against New Zealand in the 1987 World Cup, but inevitably he would be best remembered for bowling that fateful delivery to Javed Miandad.

India had posted a good total of 245/7 thanks to Kris Srikkanth’s explosive batting at the top and Gavaskar’s sublime 92. In those days, any total of around 250 would be a good total to defend, even on a placid track. There were small contributions from Mohsin Khan, Salim Malik and Abdul Qadir, but it was Miandad who single-handedly led his side to an unlikely victory. The match was India’s to lose till the last ball, and lose they did, and how. Four runs were required off the last ball with a solitary wicket in hand, and Miandad scored a six. The wounds, they say, would never be healed.

It marked the start of an era of Pakistani domination of India at cricket, especially at Sharjah. The psyche of the Indian players was dented so badly that they would hardly defeat Pakistan at Sharjah. Throughout the late-80′s and the entire ’90s, Pakistan held an upper hand psychologically and would invariably thwart most Indian attempts to win against them. It was the other way round in Sharjah tournaments prior to the event, and who knows what the script might have been had Miandad failed to connect with the bat or had Sharma bowled a better delivery. The event is well reminisced by them. In his autobiography ‘Cutting Edge‘, Miandad reproduced the moment.

“The Indians were together, excitedly talking strategy. The whole contest had been reduced to getting four from the last ball. I came up with my own strategy. I was certain Sharma was going to attempt a yorker and aim for my legs. So I decided to stand well forward of the batting crease. My plan was to lean back, make room for myself and give it everything I had.

It was going to be a slog. I was not out on 110 from 113 deliveries and was seeing the ball extremely well. I had confidence that if the ball came on to the bat, it would reach the boundary. I surveyed the field again. I knew exactly where every fielder was, but still I took another look around, counting off the fielders one by one. Nothing was going to be left to chance. I took my time, calmed my nerves, settled into my stance, and said a prayer.

Poor Chetan Sharma. They say he did try for a yorker, but the ball slipped out of his hand. Or perhaps it was the fact that I was standing well forward of the batting crease that threw him off his length. Whatever the mysterious origins of that last delivery, it ended up being the perfect ball for me and for Pakistan – a full-toss at the right height, slightly towards leg, all I had to do was take a swing and it sailed out of the ground.

After that, it was pandemonium. We had won, Pakistan had won, Tauseef (his batting partner at the other end) had won, I had won. What a match! It is one of the best memories of my life.”

Chetan Sharma has moved on, and now he looks back at the moment with retrospect, “People won’t remember the hat-trick against New Zealand in 1987 World Cup or the good performance against England but that Miandad six is one thing they will never forget.“I tried to bowl a yorker but that turned out as a low full-toss. But people should also remember that i was just an 18-year-old boy then and was facing a batsman of the stature of Miandad,” he said as quoted by a national daily.

Any India-Pakistan encounter holds unsurmountable excitement. No one would remember this game as Pakistan’s victory of the Australasia Cup, but rather as Pakistan’s victory against India. It’s all that matters.