Asia Cup 2022: Remembering the past icons over sixes after Naseem Shah show

Six balls, 11 runs needed and 11th wicket player Naseem Shah on strike. Afghanistan bowlers held their nerves tight to take the game to this level defending a low target of 131, but Naseem Shah’s power-hitting stole the show. Taking the ground in difficult times, he smashed two sixes in 2 consecutive balls, doing something beyond expectations, making the world say this is what a match-winner looks like. 

His guts to smash two sixes made people reminisce about a historical moment of 36 years ago which made him associate with Javed Miandad. Thirty-six years ago, Javed Miandad gave Pakistan a winning moment against India in Sharjah by hitting similar sixes in the last over as Naseem Shah did against Afghanistan. 

In the 1986 Austral-Asia Cup, India batting first posted a total of 245 on board, chasing which Javed Miandad played a mesmerising knock of unbeaten 116 off 114 balls. He brought down the equation to a boundary needed on the final ball against Chetan Sharma with just one wicket left. Javed Miandad responded with an audacious six to seal the win for Pakistan. 

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam mentioned the same about the moment; he was not alone in being taken back in memory lane. All other current and former cricketers recalled the moment. 

When Ravi Shastri asked about Naseem Shah’s sixes, Babar Azam said, “Naseem has done wonders. He reminded me of Javed Bhai’s sixes. It felt like the same story from 1986 has been repeated today.”

Ravi Shastri said, “I was present here that day. Thanks for reminding me.”

Teammate Shadab Khan also wrote, “People will remember the two sixes of Naseem Shah forever likewise they still cherish those sixes by Shahid Afridi and Javed Miandad.”

Shahid Afridi also won a match in the 2014 Asia Cup against India. He smashed Indian bowler Ravichandran Ashwin for two successive sixes in the final over to win the game by one wicket while chasing a target of 246. 

With this stellar win, Pakistan secured a place in the finals alongside Sri Lanka, whereas India and Afghanistan were eliminated from the tournament. 

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