India vs Afghanistan, Asia Cup 2018: 8 ODIs with the closest finishes played in the UAE
A tie in the match between India and Afghanistan yesterday was certainly the best game of the tournament. Although scores around 250 have not seemed challenging during this century, a look at the matches played in UAE through the years will tell you a different story.
The Asia Cup is being staged in the UAE, which has staged more than 300 ODIs in the last 35 years. Between 1985 and 2003, more than 200 ODI's were staged here - with all the matches being played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
While the games between 1984 and 1996 were played in white clothing and with a red ball, floodlights were introduced in 1997 and games were played with a white ball and coloured clothing, which has become the standard ODI norm since January 2001.
The 1984 Asia Cup played in Sharjah was the beginning of a golden age of cricket. Till that point, the only ODI tournament played annually was the triangular series in Australia (beginning in 1979). For the next 20 years, Sharjah would stage at least two multilateral tournaments every year - containing the best cricketers - as ODI cricket was at its peak.
A four-nation tournament that was played just after the conclusion of the 2003 World Cup was the end of this golden age - as no more multilateral tournaments were played here. However, cricket came back to the UAE in 2006, with a two-match bilateral series between India and Pakistan.
This was followed by some ODI games in Dubai, and limited overs cricket returned to Sharjah in 2010. With UAE becoming Pakistan's home (following security concerns in Pakistan) and with Dubai becoming the home of ICC, UAE has staged many bilateral tournaments and some multilateral tournaments in the last ten-odd years.
Since 1984, we have witnessed some heart-wrenching thrillers in the UAE. Let's have a look at some of the closest matches played here before this year's Asia Cup - the biggest tournament in the UAE in the last 15 years.
#8 Austral-Asia Cup Final, 1986 - India vs Pakistan at Sharjah -
Pakistan won by one wicket
In a tense 50-over final of one of the biggest tournaments of that decade, India got off to a good start with a 117-run opening partnership. Wickets from Wasim Akram and Imran Khan during the middle overs stemmed India's tide and restricted them to a total of 245 for 7.
In reply, Pakistan lost early wickets when number four batsman Javed Miandad took hold of things. India's medium pacers kept taking wickets at regular intervals, but Miandad anchored the innings with decent support from Saleem Malik and Abdul Qadir. After the loss of captain Imran Khan for the sixth wicket, all of Pakistan's hopes rested on Javed's shoulders.
Miandad attacked, but could not stop wickets from falling at the other end. He reached his century at run-a-ball, but with only two fours and two sixes to show in the boundaries column. Chetan Sharma was bowling well in the death, with Pakistan's ninth wicket of Zulqarnain being his third. With four needed off the last ball, most neutral spectators did not give Pakistan a chance.
Pakistan's batsman of the day was facing India's bowler of the day and the match was well set up. While Miandad revealed his backup plans to different kinds of prospective deliveries many years after that match, he obliged when Sharma missed the length to deliver a friendly low full-toss, which Miandad effortlessly dispatched outside the boundary.
The six registered a historic victory for Pakistan over India, one that is talked about till date.