Throughout the 80’s and 90’s the growth of large expatriate populations from India and Pakistan across the world led to neutral venues hosting several bilateral and multilateral ODI series involving both countries. One such venue was Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates which had become a hotbed of India-Pakistan rivalry, its stands crammed full of expats and the enthusiastic South Asian cricket fans rooting for their respective countries. What Sharjah witnessed 32 years ago on this day is something it never witnessed before and something which is highly unlikely to be witnessed again.

The arch-rivals met in the final of the 1986 Austral-Asia cup after registering an unbeaten run in the tournament. Batting first, India put a competitive total of 245 runs. Pakistan had a poor start to their chase as they lost the first wicket with only nine runs on the board. Wickets kept falling at regular intervals and at one point they were reduced to 215/7. That’s when Javed Miandad took the responsibility of anchoring the innings with a well-timed century.

Photo Credits: S Kothandaraman

The equation came down to 11 runs off the last over and the Indian skipper Kapil Dev entrusted the pacer Chetan Sharma to deliver the over which would go on to become a legend for decades.

Thousands of roaring spectators and millions of fans back home all had eyes as well as hopes glued on Miandad, as Chetan prepared to deliver the final ball. With four requiring of the last ball, Sharma missed the yorker by a few inches which connected with Miandad’s bat and the legendary batsman smashed the low full toss for a six over mid-wicket. Even before it cleared the boundary, Javed Miandad had raised his arms, sprinting off the pitch in celebration as the commentator erupted.

“and that’s a six and Pakistan have won! An unbelievable victory by Pakistan and Javed Miandad the hero of the moment, this is unbelievable!”

Photo Credits: Dawn

32 years one, that miraculous six continues to be cherished as the most famous shot in the history of Pakistan cricket. With one shot Javed Miandad became a national hero subsequently making Chetan Sharma a villain in the eyes of Indian cricket fans.

Years after the incident, Chetan Sharma, while looking back at the match commented: “It was my bad luck that he really connected it well because you have a player like Javed Miandad in front of you. One of the best cricketers the world has ever produced and that’s why he is called the best because he sensed me way before I would have bowled him.”

Miandad, in his autobiography Cutting Edge: My Autobiography, recounted that six as he wrote, “Poor Chetan Sharma. They say he did try for a yorker, but the ball slipped out of his hand. Or perhaps it was the fact that I was standing well forward of the batting crease that threw him off his length. Whatever the mysterious origins of that last delivery, it ended up being the perfect ball for me and for Pakistan – a full-toss at the right height, slightly towards leg, all I had to do was take a swing and it sailed out of the ground.”After that, it was pandemonium. We had won, Pakistan had won, Tauseef had won, I had won. What a match! It is one of the best memories of my life.”

Photo Credits: Dawn

Numerous India-Pakistan matches have gone down to the wire but none of the matches had such a telling effect as the 1986 last-ball Pakistan win. One reason could be the fact that this match took place in an era when cricket was comparatively slow and the last ball sixes were unheard of. This is the moment that Pakistani fans recall every time they face the arch-rival in one-day cricket. As we complete 32 years of the historic six, fans look back at the moment that united the entire nation as every Pakistani, young and old, fan or no fan, came together to celebrate Javed Miandad’s unforgettable six off the last ball against India.

Originated in England, the game quickly became popular in all the swaths of lands that were once colonized by the Great Britain. In the middle of 20th Century, Britain left almost all its colonies but one thing which never left was cricket.

Here is our list of 10 most richest retired cricketers of all times who made a name for themselves playing the game and bringing glory to their country.

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is the former Indian international cricketer and former captain, regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time. The highest run scorer of all time in International cricket, Tendulkar took up cricket at the age of eleven, made his Test debut on 15 November 1989 against Pakistan in Karachi. He is the only player to have scored one hundred international centuries, the first batsman to score a double century in a One Day International, the holder of the record for the most number of runs in both ODI and Test cricket, and the only player to complete more than 30,000 runs in international cricket.

Owing to his career with International Cricket for almost 24 years, Tendulkar has become a name in all household in cricket crazy nations such India and Pakistan. Due to his popularity, he has also managed to become one of the top earning cricketers of the world with a net worth of $22 Million with a yearly income of $4 Million and sponsorships of $18 million in 2013. According to reports and estimates, Sachin Tendulkar earns around $115 million in 2018.

Ricky Thomas Ponting

With a net worth of $65 million Ricky Ponting, is a former Australian international cricketer, and two-time World Cup winning captain of 2003 and 2007. Widely regarded as one of the greatest batsman in the history of cricket, Ponting was captain of the Australia national cricket team during its ‘golden era’; between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket.

After being involved in over 160 Tests and 370 ODIs, Ponting is Australia’s leading run-scorer in Test and ODI cricket. He is one of only four players (along with Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis) in history to have scored 13,000 Test runs. Statistically, he is one of the most successful captains of all time, with 48 victories in 77 Tests between 2004 and 31 December 2010. As a player, Ponting is the only cricketer in history to be involved in 100 Test victories. Ponting also holds the record to have been involved in the most ODI victories as a player, with 262 wins.

Rahul Dravid is the former Indian cricketer and captain, widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. Hailed as The Wall, Dravid was named one of the best five cricketers in 2000. In 2016, he became fourth-highest run scorer in Test cricket, after Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis. He holds various cricketing records such as 210 non wicket keeper catches, never getting out on a “Duck”, has faced 31258 balls and spent 44152 minutes on the crease.

His total net worth comes to about $14 Million. This includes the money he earns from brand endorsements as well as remuneration from BCCI. As of now his net worth has increased to $50 Million.

Shane Warne is a former Australian cricketer best known for his bowling skills. Warne played his first Test match in 1992 and has taken over 1000 international wickets in Tests and One-Day Internationals. Warne is also the only player to have scored 3000+ Test runs without a career century and he holds the record for most Test runs without a century (3154).

According to Forbes in 2017, Shane Warne has an estimated networth of $50 million. This is partly because of his popular run with the Australian cricket team and later off the field success with the entertainment industry.

Imran Khan is Pakistan’s cricket team former captain and first class international player who helped the country win their first cricket World Cup in 1992. After pursuing a career in International cricket for more than 2 decades, he turned his attention to politics and now heads Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf.

He is regarded as a philanthropist by many after doing fund raising for building a cancer hospital in memory of his mother. He raised $25 million for the endeavour. According to most recent reports his net worth is around $50 million.

Virender Sehwag is regarded as one of the most destructive batsmen of all time., Sehwag holds multiple records which include the fastest triple century in the history of cricket and fastest 250. He also holds the distinction of being one of the 4 batsmen ever to achieve two triple centuries. He retired from International cricket in 2015.

Much thanks to his hard hitting batting performance and his position as an opener, he has gained a lot of popularity and managed to snag huge endorsement deals. His total yearly income is said to be around $6.9 Million out of which $2.8 million is what cricket pays him and $6.1 million is what he earns through sponsorships. Since 2018, Virender Sehwag has increased his earnings to almost $40 million.

Sourav Chandidas Ganguly more affectionately known as “Dada” is a former Indian cricketer and captain of the Indian national team. During his playing career, Ganguly established himself as one of the world’s leading batsmen and also one of the greatest captains of the national cricket team. While batting, he was especially prolific through the off side, earning himself the nickname God of the Off Side for his elegant stroke play square of the wicket and through the covers.

The left-handed Ganguly was a prolific One Day International (ODI) batsman, with over 11,000 ODI runs to his credit. He is one of the most successful Indian Test captains to date, winning 21 out of 49 test matches.Sourav Gangly is the most successful Indian test captain overseas with 11 wins. The Indian team was ranked eighth in the ICC rankings before he became the captain, and under his tenure the team rank went up to second.Owing to his success with International cricket and later his stint with IPL his current net-worth is estimated to be around $40 million.

Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff is a broadcaster, TV panelist and former England international cricketer. Flintoff is regarded as one of the sports leading all rounders, serving as a fast bowler, middle order batsman and talented slip fielder. Flintoff was consistently rated by the ICC as being among the top international all-rounders in both ODI and Test cricket.

Due to his injuries, he had to leave the game of cricket early in 2010. But that didn’t stop him from being an athlete as he went to pursue boxing. He also starred in numerous TV game shows and won them. His estimated net worth currently is $15 million.

Saeed Anwar is a former Pakistani cricketer and a former captain for Tests and ODIs. An opening batsman and occasional slow left arm orthodox bowler, Anwar played international cricket between 1989 and 2003. Considered as one of greatest opening batsmen cricket has ever produced, Anwar has scored twenty centuries in ODIs, more than any other Pakistani batsmen in this format. He has played 55 Test matches, scoring 4052 runs with eleven centuries.. In 247 One Day Internationals (ODIs) he made 8824 runs. His current estimated net worth is $12 million.

Brett Lee is a Australia’s very own fast paced bowler and international cricketer. During his international career, Lee was recognised as one of fastest bowlers in the world of cricket along with Shoaib Akhtar. He is known for his consistency of pace, going over 150 kilometers per hour (93 mph) throughout his career.

In a charity match, he delivered a ball at 161.8 km/h (100.5 mph) against West Indies but was unable to attain official recognition. Currently the world record for the fastest delivery ever is held by Shoaib Akhtar at 161.4 km/h (100.3 mph). Brett Lee is widely regarded as one of the best pace bowlers ever to have played the sport. After his retirement in 2010, he became a film actor and sports analyst. His current net worth is estimated to be around $10 million.

Yusuf Pathan is a member of the Indian cricket team and younger brother to Irfan Pathan. He is mostly known for his aggressive, hard hitting batting and made his debut in International cricket in 2001.

Although his time playing international cricket has not been too memorable, the match of India vs New Zealand in 2010 brought him to the limelight when he clobbered the opposing team a hefty 193 runs of 96 balls. For his effort he was awarded man of the match. Following this, his career in T20 format was hugely successful as he became a regular player for the IPL series. His current net worth is estimated to be around $7 million.

With just a couple of days away from the launch of the third edition of Pakistan Super League, stakes couldn’t be higher. A domestic league that gifted us with the brilliance of Shadab Khan, class of Fakhar Zaman and excellence of Ruman Raees, PSL has been more than just a game for cricket fans who have been deprived of regular international matches on home soil for almost a decade. Every year, PSL delivers beyond its expectations and this year when the league will feature one more team and more home matches, excitement is surely bound to get doubled. As the clock ticks, let’s look at 5 players to watch out for in PSL 2018.

Shaheen Shah Afridi

From Wasim Akram to Muhammad Amir, Pakistan has a long history of producing left arm pacers but only a few of them were able to make their mark in international cricket. Based on his recent performance in Under 19 World Cup, Shaheen Shah Afridi has potential to be the spotlight of the upcoming domestic league. The 17-year-old will be representing Lahore Qalandar and is definitely to watch out for.  

Saud Shakeel

A classy southpaw, 22-year-old Saud Shakeel occupies a spot on the Quetta Gladiators roster. At first glance, he looks like a cross between legendary openers Saeed Anwar and Amir Sohail, while his premeditated shuffle in the crease might evoke the memory of a certain Salman Butt. While those certainly are lofty comparisons, few can deny that Shakeel is a natural talent — a first-class average of 43.17 and an even better list A average of 47.58 are a testament to that. Granted, the youngster has been found wanting in the T20 format so far, but he has time and opportunities on his side to atone that teeny-tiny blemish on his otherwise impressive CV.

Imran Tahir

There is always a tinge of irony whenever Imran Tahir features as a foreign player with reference to Pakistan, whether it’s the PSL or the ICC World XI. But there’s no questioning South African leggie’s stature as among the very best in the game. Among the international elites, Imran Tahir is arguably the highest profile foreign player in the PSL. And Multan Sultans would be relying heavily on his spin and guile – not to mention the infectious passion he brings – to make their mark in their debut season.

Carlos Braithwaite

In the current captain of the West Indies T20 side, the man who hit four consecutive sixes in the final over to win the World Cup for his side, Quetta Gladiators have an explosive all-rounder who can win them any game with the bat, and can do a good job with the ball as well.

Runners-up in both PSL seasons so far, the Gladiators have relied on their top order in the first two seasons have lacked that big hitter down the order.

They might have precisely that in the shape of Carlos Braithwaite, who might be the differential that helps Quetta go one step further.

Usman Khan Shinwari

The left arm fast bowler Usman Khan Shinwari’s impressive run in international cricket hit an unwanted break after the pacer suffered a back injury but he is back in the game now. Shinwari has now recovered well enough and is back to bowling and he will be seen in action at the upcoming third edition of Pakistan Super League, with his left arm orthodox bowling style, serious pace and ability to swing the ball both ways, he can turn up to be a surprise for other five teams.

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