Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Last Ball Six By Javed Miandad Against India To Seal Australasia Cup And Its Impact on India Pakistan Cricket




Yes, I am talking about a single shot that has highest impact in the history of the game. The rivalry between India and Pakistan on the cricket field is the greatest source of entertainment, joy, and grief for cricket fans all over the world in general and the cricket fans from India and Pakistan in particular. This rivalry has produced many thrilling and mouth-watering cliffhangers between the two sides, and the final of the Australasia cup of 1986 between India and Pakistan was the epitome of the nail-biting contests between these two sides. It was in this match that Javed Miandad hit six off the last ball of the match to seal their major cup against arch-rival India. This last ball six by Javed Miandad is also single most popular shot in the history of the game.

Perhaps this was one of the most significant one day match in the cricket history between these two nations. And the feat of the last ball six by Javed Miandad is greatest feat in games played between these two nations with impressive cricketing history. The joy this six brought to the fans of Pakistan team is probably unmatched. The last ball six also effectively ended the career of Chetan Sharma and his social life for sometime.

Before this last ball victory the games between India and Pakistan were evenly contested and they had an evenly matched head-to-head record. After this victory achieved through the last ball six, Pakistan defeated India in 11 of the next 13 one day games between these two teams. After this last ball six win in 1986, Pakistan also defeated India in a test series in India in 1987. This domination could also be due to the arrival of Wasim Akram around the same time. Since 1986 last ball six, Pakistan has always maintained a better head-to-head record against India. India though has the distinction of winning all the contests between two sides in World Cup tournaments, including the final of T20.

The last ball six was the climax of one of the finest innings played in the history of the game. In fact, the entire inning was as impressive as the last ball six. The shine of the entire innings was lost in the sensation of the last ball six. In the circumstances that innings was played and the occasion that innings was played on, and the the finish that it had, probably makes it the finest innings in the history of one day game. What was more amazing was the fact that Miandad raised his bat the moment he hit the ball in the air. The innings and the last ball six were straight out of the fiction book.

The Hangman's Daughter

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