Javed Miandad’s top knocks

Javed Miandad was a superstar in the 1980s for Pakistan cricket, making some extraordinary contributions in Tests and ODIs. Aside from appearing in a record six World Cups, Miandad shone with his consistency in Tests and ODIs. While he is one of the only two batsmen (minimum 30 innings) to never let his average drop below 50 in Test cricket, he made a record nine consecutive fifty-plus scores in ODIs.

163 v New Zealand, 1st Test, Lahore, 1976

At 19 years and 119 days, Miandad made history on his Test debut against New Zealand at Lahore. He became the youngest ever to score a Test century on debut. Walking in at 44/3, which later turned into 55/4, in the first innings, Miandad combined with Asif Iqbal in a 281-run partnership for the fifth-wicket. When he was dismissed, the debutant had made 163, studded with 19 boundaries.

119* v India, 3rd ODI, Lahore, 1982

In a bilateral ODI shortened to 33 overs, Miandad got stuck into the Indian bowlers and clubbed 119* in just 77 balls in a knock that saw him smash six fours and five sixes. It remains his highest ODI score, but more importantly, the knock, and a partnership of 158 runs with another centurion, Zaheer Abbas, helped Pakistan make 252 in just 33 overs. They went on to win after India fell short of the revised target of 176 from 27 overs by 18 runs.

116* vs India, Austral-Asia Cup Final, 1986

The final of the Austral-Asia Cup between India and Pakistan in 1986 took a dramatic turn when an undaunted Miandad took Pakistan home against the run of play in the final ball of the match. With Pakistan needing four to win off one ball, Miandad, who had already gone past the three-figure mark, clubbed Chetan Sharma for a six to give Pakistan fans an unforgettable memory. Oddly, he struck just three fours and as many sixes in his knock of 116 that came at a strike-rate over 100.

280* vs India - Test match – Hyderabad (Sind), 1983

Arguably Miandad’s greatest Test knock, and his highest score in the longest format of the game, was cut 20 runs short of a triple hundred when captain Imran Khan declared Pakistan’s first innings with Miandad unbeaten on 280. Pakistan made 581/3 batting first with Mudassar Nazar also making a double century. They went on to roll India over for 189 and 273 to win by an innings and 119 runs. Miandad and Nazar joined hands with the score at 60 for 2 and weren’t separated until the total reached a whopping 511. The 451-run partnership remains the third-best for the third wicket in Test cricket.

114 v West Indies, Test Match, Georgetown, 1988

Faced with mounting scrutiny over his run-scoring abilities away from home, Miandad had a scintillating tour of the Caribbean Islands in 1988. His best came in the first Test match at Georgetown where he stood up to the fearsome West Indies attack of Patrick Patterson, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh and Winston Benjamin. West Indies’ plans to intimidate the sub-continental side were thwarted by Miandad’s defiance. He fought for 235 balls making 114 runs as Pakistan took a first-innings lead of 143. They went on to win the Test by nine wickets.