Top 5 memorable matches at Sharjah

For any subcontinental fan, there are three utmost necessities in their life namely Cricket, Bollywood and entertainment. The third one can be a mix of the first two but then obviously you know what we are talking about when we mention the term ‘entertainment’ and ‘Sharjah’ in one breath. And for a person to get all the three aforementioned necessities at one place is what actually sells Sharjah. Its a bit of that oriental twist and shake (strictly talking about cricket) that one gets in Sharjah which has made it one of the most loved stadiums around the world . So loved that it recently got figured in the Guinness Book of World Records for holding the most number of ODI’s at a single venue. The certificate was awarded to the UAE minister for higher education and scientific research Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan during the fourth ODI between Sri Lanka and Pakistan which was the 201st ODI to be played there.

For such a glorious stadium to be marred by clouts of match fixing in the 2000-01 season was sad indeed and eventually the Indian government barred their cricket team from playing any match in Sharjah. The decision eventually resulted in no high profile tri series tournaments and saw Sharjah from being one of the most exciting stadiums in world cricket almost crash land to the fate of its surrounding desert lands. However due to Pakistan’s incapacity of holding international matches at its home venue, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi have taken the mantle of serving as Pakistan’s ‘home ground’ and as a result more and more international cricket matches are making its way to these venues. One just sincerely hopes that Sharjah continues to build a positive image and that it relives to its former past which had held some of the most memorable international matches. As a tribute to the stadium we here at Sportskeeda decided to relive the top 5 memorable matches to have been played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

1) Pakistan vs Sri Lanka (15 October 1999)

Pakistan 196 (Youhana 48, Inzamam 42, Muralitharan 2-22) tied with Sri Lanka 196 (Kaluwitharana 75, Arnold 61, Razzaq 5-31)

At 173-2 off 40 overs chasing 197 to win, Sri Lanka were truly in the driver’s seat with a well set Russell Arnold guiding their chase; however what followed in the next 45 minutes was indeed a stuff of the legends and goes on to show what the Pakistanis can do when the ball starts to reverse. Shoaib Malik got rid off Arnold in the 41st over when Akram the captain decided to bring himself on and got rid off Jayasuriya in the very next over. Suspecting a breach in the Sri Lankan middle order Akram threw the ball to Razzaq and then followed a spell of exquisite reverse swing bowling. Razzaq and Akram sliced through the Sri Lankan batting order and within a space of 53 deliveries Sri Lanka had lost 8-23 with Razzaq being the wrecker in chief. Abdul Razzaq’s bowling figures for his last 9 ball spell read as 1.3-1-0-4 and out of his last four victims three of them were clean bowled. Truly magnificent indeed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1biwfkBLzA&feature=player_detailpage

2) Coca Cola cup Final:India vs Australia (24 April 1998)

India 275/4 (Tendulkar 134, Azharuddin 58, Fleming 2-47) beat Australia 272/9 (SR Waugh 70, Lehmann 70, Prasad 2-32)

For all the cricket fans who have witnessed this match, this was undoubtedly one of those moments where Tendulkar transcended from being Sachin the cricketer, to Sachin the demi god. The visuals of him depositing Shane Warne on top of the tent shaped roofs is one that all Indian fans will cherish through out their lifetime.

The Sachin blitzkrieg was too hot to handle

It was the finals of the Coca Cola cup and the Australians were in a spot of bother early in the match, after having lost their top half for a meagre 121 runs. However Steve Waugh and Darren Lehmann stitched together a 103 run partnership and managed to put up a more than competitive target of 273 for the Indians to chase. Just in a match prior to this one Australia had given India a total of 285 runs to chase in which the latter lost the match by 26 runs after Sachin Tendulkar braved a sandstorm and the Australian bowlers to score a scintillating 143 runs.

This time however though, Sachin had plans of his own and on his 25th birthday, he carved through the Aussie bowling to score a magnificent 134 off 131 balls, a knock which included 12 hits to the boundary and three over it. He was ably supported by Azharuddin throughout the chase and by the time Sachin got out, India needed only 25 runs from 33 balls which Jadeja and Kanitkar knocked off in due time handing India their title win in Sharjah. Needless to say Sachin didn’t need candles to light up his birthday cake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYtOqXo6etU&feature=player_detailpage

3) Afghanistan vs Canada (16 Feb. 2010)

Afghanistan 289 for 6 (Shahzad 118, Ali 114, Chohan 4-39) beat Canada 288 for 8 (Bagai 91, Cheema 61, Shenwari 4-31) by one run

This one is especially for all the cricket lovers and the die hard fanatics of the game. Not many people will know about this game which was a part of the Afghanistan- Canada series specially arranged to mark the 200 ODIs for Sharjah. This one was the 199th in this venue and it was an absolute thriller among the two minnows of international cricket.

Cheema's attacking start wasn't enough for Canada

Canada after having won the toss put Afghanistan in and the decision backfired on them after Noor Ali Zadran and Mohammed Shahzad formed a 205 runs partnership off 210 balls for the second wicket. Both the batsmen provided a cautious if not a blistering start and managed to score their individual hundreds before a mini collapse at the end of the innings left Afghanistan with a total of 289 runs for the loss of six wickets.

Chasing an unlikely 289 to win, Canada rode on a blistering opening innings from Aizwan Cheema who scored 61 off 35 balls to kickstart their run chase. Sunil Dhaniram also managed to chip in with a 50 in the middle order but it was Ashish Bagai’s unbeaten 91 off 99 balls which took Canada to doorsteps of victory.

Canada at one point of time needed 25 runs off the last 30 balls but a 46th over maiden by Samiullah Shenwari tilted the match in Afghanistan’s favor. Needing 7 to win off the last 5 balls, Nabi conceded just three of the next four to leave Canada requiring a boundary from the last ball. Khurram Chohan the man on strike managed to get a two and was run out while attempting the third giving Afghanistan a well cherished victory.

4) Australasia Cup Final: Pakistan vs India (18 April 1986)

Pakistan 248 for 9 (Miandad 116*, C.Sharma 3-51) beat India 245 for 7 (Gavaskar 95, Srikkanth 72, Akram 3-42) by one wicket

It was about this period of time when Sharjah was creating a niche for itself. With big name celebrities thronging the venues and Indo-Pak rivalries at an all time high; Sharjah increased its reputation as big match venue, when it witnessed this match of monumental proportions.

India aided by Gavaskar and Srikkanth had batted well earlier in the day to put a challenging total of 246 for Pakistan to chase. Pakistan looking for their first ever major trophy in Sharjah started off cautiously and soon managed to find themselves falling behind the required run rate and with wickets falling in regular intervals India were in complete control of the match even though a certain Javed Miandad was stranded at one side chipping off the bulk off the total. So, finally at the end of it all Pakistan required 4 runs to win off the last ball with just one wicket in hand to win the match. There was a long gap between the penultimate and the last ball as if time itself was preparing for the jolt it was going to take.

Miandad went through the field twice before taking up his stance for the one last time as Chetan Sharma started on his run up to the crease. Sharma’s attempted yorker turned out to be a waist high full toss and Miandad took a huge swipe off the ball and deposited it over the mid wicket boundary to give Pakistan and himself their win of a lifetime. The reactions that followed through out the stadium especially in the Indian fans’ section is best left alone.

That one stroke changed Pakistan and Chetan Sharma’s fortunes forever. The former managed to go on to become the rulers of Sharjah in almost all the upcoming tournaments whereas the latter’s career was damaged beyond repair and soon got the axe from the Indian cricket team.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=JDTj7DvN7X0

5) Rothmans Cup: Pakistan vs India (22 March, 1985)

India 125 (Azharuddin 47, Kapil Dev 30, Imran 6-14) beat Pakistan 87 (Rameez Raja 29, Kapil Dev 3-17) by 38 runs.

Coming off a successful World Championship Series campaign at Australia, the Indian team were on a high when they squared up against Pakistan for the first match of the Rothmans Four Nation Cup. The script however went horribly wrong for the Indian batsmen as a rampant Imran Khan blasted through the top order leaving India reeling at 34/5. A 46 run partnership between Azharuddin and Kapil Dev shepherded India to some sense of respectability with a score of 125 as Imran Khan ended with his best ever bowling figures of 10-2-14-6.

A win for Pakistan looked a foregone conclusion especially when at one stage they were 35/1 having guarded off the new ball attack. However it was the spinning duo of Shastri and Sivaramakrishnan who gave India the slightest of chances as Pakistan slipped from 35/1 to 41/5. Still at 85/6 the match was Pakistan’s to lose and they managed to do that perfectly as they were shot out for 87 runs. Their two batting collapses in the innings yielded 8 runs for 8 wickets and handed India a memorable 38 run win.

Unfortunately there is no video record of Pakistan’s batting in the second innings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=woKB41AtoHE

Special Mentions- Sanath Jayasuriya’s 189*, Wasim Akram‘s hattricks, Muttiah Muralitharan’s 7/30, Brian Lara‘s 153 and 169 in two separate innings’ against Pakistan and Sri Lanka respectively.

If you guys do have any other suggestions/matches that you feel should have been put up in the list. Please feel free to comment below.