Top 6 closest ODI matches in cricket history

1. India vs Pakistan at Sharjah, Austral-Asia Cup final, 18 April 1986

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The final of the Austral-Asia Cup 1986 was the much-anticipated match between India and Pakistan, and it had a cracking start.

Kris Srikkanth and Sunil Gavaskar put on over a hundred for the opening stand and set the tone to hand Pakistan a daunting total. Dilip Vengsarkar's handy half-century almost built another century partnership for India after Srikkanth departed.

The magical Wasim Akram and captain Imran Khan sparked Pakistan's comeback by picking up wickets at crucial junctures. They ended up restricting India to just 245 from what looked like a total of an excess of 270 a few overs back.

Akram collected three wickets and Imran chipped in with two scalps in a tremendous bowling performance.

Pakistan had a sluggish start to their innings, losing three wickets for a little more than fifty runs. However, with Pakistan's greatest batsman Javed Miandad at the crease, the game was far from over.

Saleem Malik, Abdul Qadir and Mohsin Khan couldn't quite make big scores but ably supported Miandad by building invaluable partnerships, dragging Pakistan's score forward.

After the 71-run stand between Qadir and Miandad, quick wickets dented Pakistan's progress yet again. With just the tail for company, it looked like a steep task for Miandad to get the team over the line.

Pakistan still clung on pretty well, and eventually, it was down to 11 runs off the final over.

Chetan Sharma was entrusted with the job of bowling the final over to defend 11 runs. However, he leaked seven runs off five balls, with a boundary required off the final ball.

Sharma missed the yorker by a few inches and Miandad heaved it for six over mid-wicket. A last ball six against a bitter rival - that's as sensational as it gets, and Miandad became a national hero.