“Even when we remember that today, we can't sleep”- Kapil Dev on soul-crushing 1986 ODI loss to Pakistan

Miandad hit a last ball six off Chetan Sharma in Sharjah in final of 1986 Australasia Cup.

Miandad hit a six off last ball off Chetan Sharma in Sharjah in 1986 final of Australasia Cup | TwitterIndia will take on Pakistan in a blockbuster Asia Cup 2022 clash on August 28 in Dubai. The two countries have shared a rich cricketing history and even though bilateral series between India and Pakistan are currently at a halt due to political tensions, whenever these teams meet their fans go crazy.

Apart from the 2021 T20 World Cup win and the 2017 Champions Trophy final win, one more win of the Pakistan team over India is etched into the minds of not only the fans of both sides but also the cricketers involved was the 1986 ODI win in Sharjah when Javed Miandad had famously hit a six on the final ball off Chetan Sharma with four runs required.

It was the final of the Austral-Asia Cup and former India captain Kapil Dev, who led the side in that match revisited that heartbreaking moment during a segment, Frenemies on Star Sports, along with Pakistan’s Wasim Akram, who also played in that game.

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That famous game, where you (India) were on course to score 270. But then, I got three quick wickets and you eventually scored 245,” Akram began the story.  

Kapil then told the story of the infamous last over which was bowled by Chetan Sharma.

"We thought we should have 12-13 runs to defend in the last over of the match. It was a very difficult task, almost impossible in those times. When the last over came, we went to Chetan. To this day, I still feel it wasn't his mistake. They needed 4 runs on the last ball and we decided that it would be a low yorker. There was no other alternative. He tried his best, we all tried. It turned out to be a low full-toss. Miandad kept his backfoot intact and connected it.

Even when we remember that today, we can't sleep. That defeat crushed the whole side's confidence for the next four years. It was very difficult to make a comeback from there,” Kapil Dev said.

Though Chetan Sharma became the first bowler in World Cup history to take a hat-trick in the 1987 edition, he is still remembered for being hit for a last ball six by Miandad which lost the final match for India.

(Star Sports inputs)

 
 

By Jatin Sharma - 24 Aug, 2022

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