da bwin： Cricinfo looks back at the ten most memorable ODIs between India and Pakistan

da betway： Faras Ghani04-Nov-2007

Javed Miandad’s last-ball six in Sharjah in 1986 scarred India for years to come © Getty Images
1st match, Four-nation Cup 1985,Sharjah

A formidable Indian batting line-up was left in tatters by the pace andswing of Imran Khan. He dismissed Ravi Shastri leg-before off the first ballof the match, and had three of his victims caught behind, proof enoughof his unplayable bowling. A target of 126 was always within Pakistan’sreach, even though they lost their first wicket at 13. However, a doublecollapse saw them go from 35 for 1 to 41 for 5 and then from 85 for 6 to 87all out. Kapil Dev, after scoring a dogged 30, proved Pakistan’s nemesiswith the ball, and captured 3 for 17. Sunil Gavaskar chipped in with four catches, three of them breathtaking.Final, Australasia Cup 1986,Sharjah

Perhaps the greatest of all ODIs between the two countries, if only becauseit is the one that first comes to the mind of fans of either country. Itwill forever be remembered for the last ball of the match, with everythingthat preceded it – Kris Srikkanth’s aggression, Gavaskar’s 92, late wickets byWasim Akram and Imran to restrict India, and even an unbeaten century byJaved Miandad – all swept aside. Chetan Sharma did manage three wickets inthe match, but his last delivery, off which Pakistan needed four to winthe tournament, was pulled mightily over midwicket and over the boundary byMiandad to spark wild celebrations after an unlikely last-wicket victory.2nd ODI, Pakistan in India 1987,Kolkata

A Srikkanth century inspired the home side to a respectable score, and afterPakistan collapsed to 174 for 6 after a 106-run opening partnership, theyneeded to score at almost 10 runs an over. Saleem Malik, batting at No.7,tore through the Indian bowling, sharing a 50-run partnership withAkram in which the bowler scored only 3. Smashing 11 fours and a six,including five fours in an over off Kapil, Malik’s 36-ball 72 carriedPakistan home with only three balls left.Quarter-final, World Cup 1996,Bangalore

A charged-up encounter with a World Cup semi-final spot for the taking received ajolt when Akram, Pakistan’s captain, pulled out minutes before the toss.With Ajay Jadeja smashing a 25-ball 45 – Waqar Younis was hammered for40 off his last two overs – and Navjot Sidhu lumbering his way to 93,the balance had shifted in the favour of the Indians even before the replybegan. Although Saeed Anwar and Aamir Sohail flayed the Indian attack tostart off, Sohail’s loss of temper and temperament as he tried to asserthis authority over Venkatesh Prasad, combined with the batsmen’s lack ofapplication saw them succumb to pressure. Anil Kumble and Prasadgrabbed three each as Pakistan perished, failing to put together reasonablepartnerships.

India’s historic tour of Pakistan in 2003-04 began with a cliffhanger in Karachi, with the visitors sneaking home by five runs © AFP
Sahara Cup 1996,Toronto

Pakistan’s decision to field first, based on their strong bowling line-up,backfired as Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Azharuddin added 161 for thethird wicket. Akram and Waqar went wicketless, while Jadeja once againsmashed a few towards the end. Although Anwar scored a 78-ball 80, wicketstumbled regularly, and at 221 for 8, India looked all set to take a2-0 lead in the series. Malik (70 not out) and Saqlain Mushtaq (11 not out), however,added 44, and Pakistan scrambled home on the penultimate ball of the match, from Sunil Joshi, which Malik, playing with a twisted ankle, cut past point.Sahara Cup 1997,Toronto

A disastrous start to the innings saw India slump to 23 for 3 in seamingconditions against a less than threatening Pakistan attack. A briefrecovery by Azharuddin and Co. made for a somewhat respectable 182. It should havebeen a comfortable target for Pakistan’s strong batting line-up, and at 103 for3 seemed just that. That was when Sourav Ganguly’s medium pace was brought on. Utilising the conditions, and Pakistan’s frailty against themoving ball, Ganguly snapped up five wickets – all caught – as the lastseven wickets went down for the addition of only 43 runs.India’s tour of Pakistan, 1997,Karachi

Karachi lived up to its billing as a batsman’s paradise andattacking seventies by Shahid Afridi and Inzamam-ul-Haq enabled Pakistanto post a competitive score (though the innings was cut short due to crowdtrouble). India looked set for an easy victory until panic struck,resulting in the loss of four wickets for only 26 runs, two of themrun-outs. Saba Karim and Robin Singh consolidated, and when Saqlain,economical till then, went for 33 in three overs, a win seemed in sight.As the ball was changed yet again in the final over, Saqlain was hit for asix by Rajesh Chauhan and India sealed victory. 3rd Final, Independence Cup1998, Dhaka

Saeed Anwar and Ijaz Ahmed scored blistering centuries and Saqlain grabbedthree wickets but India still managed to lift the Independence Cupcourtesy a Ganguly century and supporting knocks from Sachin Tendulkar andRobin Singh. It wasn’t easy, though. India, at one stage 250 for 2, slumped to 281 for 5 at the hands of Saqlain. A further two quick wickets followed, and in the end it was left to Hrishikesh Kanitkar to strike a boundary in fading light off the penultimate ball of the match to seal the win.1st ODI, India’s tour ofPakistan, 2004, Karachi

A strong batting display, especially by India’s top order, built amammoth 349 – the first 200 of which came in only 25 overs.However, a brave fightback by Pakistan, after losing their openers cheaply,took the game right down to the wire. Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamam and YounisKhan all played their part, but Inzamam’s dismissal left Pakistan requiring72 off eight overs. The lower order failed at the last hurdle to keep up with the required rate, and Moin Khan was unable to “do a Miandad” off the last delivery.4th ODI, Pakistan’s tour ofIndia, 2005, Ahmedabad

Another strong batting display from India on the back of a Tendulkar 123and a late cameo from Yuvraj Singh led them to a 300-plus score, asPakistan bowlers toiled in batting-friendly conditions. Ablistering opening partnership between Salman Butt and Shahid Afridi laidthe foundations of a strong reply, but with wickets falling regularly, India were still in with a good chance. Inzamam, however, provided a calm figure in the middle asothers perished around him. With three needed off the last over, heblocked the first five deliveries before slashing the last one for a fourto round off a remarkable chase.