Six and done - Javed saves the best for last

The Indians were together, excitedly talking strategy. The whole contest had been reduced to getting four from the last ball. I came up with my own strategy. I was certain Sharma was going to attempt a yorker and aim for my legs. So I decided to stand well forward of the batting crease. My plan was to lean back, make room for myself and give it everything I had.

It was going to be a slog. I was not out on 110 from 113 deliveries and was seeing the ball extremely well. I had confidence that if the ball came on to the bat, it would reach the boundary. I surveyed the field again. I knew exactly where every fielder was, but still I took another look around, counting off the fielders one by one. Nothing was going to be left to chance. I took my time, calmed my nerves, settled into my stance, and said a prayer.

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.

This passage is excerpted from Cutting Edge: My Autobiography by Javed Miandad, Oxford University Press, 2003

I remember almost everyone came up to the pitch to discuss who should bowl the last over. We finally decided that Chetan's extra pace and swing would prevent the batsmen from getting the runs. Tauseef Ahmed walked in and I heard Javed telling him: 'Whatever happens, we have to run. Hit or miss ... just run.'

The entire over was chaotic. Javed kept swinging wildly, and Mohammad Azharuddin missed a simple run-out. On the second-last ball, Javed got an inside edge and Roger Binny pulled off a superb stop down at short fine leg.

They needed four to win off the last ball. I still remember how Javed looked up at the sky and prayed to Allah.

Chetan's plan was to bowl a yorker but it was a waist-high full-toss. None of us expected Javed to hit it out of the ground.

And then we all felt a sort of blackout. It was like a funeral in the dressing room afterwards. Chetan was on the floor. None of us knew what to do for nearly an hour. Nobody looked at anyone; we all just sat with our chins down, thinking about the possibilities. We could hear the celebrations outside but it was extremely depressing inside.