Javed Miandad

TEST DEBUT
1976 1st v. New Zealand at Lahore (Aged: 40)
TEST CAREER
Matches: 124
Runs: 8832 Ave: 52.57
Wkts: 17 Ave: 40.11
Catches: 93
Last Test: 1993 3rd v. Zimbabwe at Lahore

Javed Miandad had a long career as an international cricketer for Pakistan between 1975 and 1996, and had 3 mildly successful but controversial coaching runs with the team as well.

Career
He made his Test debut against New Zealand at Lahore on October 9, 1976 and one-day international debut against West Indies at Birmingham in Cricket World Cup 1975.

Miandad made a glorious debut with a century and later slammed a double century in the same series to set up a new record of becoming the youngest ever to score a double century. Miandad created the record of being the youngest player to score 100 runs on his debut. He scored a century in his first appearance against India in the course of which he completed 1000 runs in 23 innings to become the second youngest to score 1000 runs at the age of 21 years and 26 days.

Javed Miandad played 124 Tests and had most innings for a Pakistani (189), scoring most runs for a Pakistani (8,832) with the best average for a Pakistani 52.57 with 23 centuries and 43 fifties. Miandad is one of only two batsmen (the other being Herbert Sutcliffe) to maintain an average of above 50 throughout a career of more than 20 innings. He scored six double centuries which are the maximum by a Pakistani, and had a highest score of 280 not out versus India.

Miandad was quite simply one of the greatest batsmen the game has known. His Test batting average of over fifty was in an era when that meant something - bowling attacks were strong (he faced Denis Lillee, Richard Hadlee, and the great West Indians in his time) and no Test nation was a walk-over (no Zimbabwe or Bangladesh then). Together with Imran Khan, Miandad helped Pakistan become the only team capable of taking on the might of the West Indies in the 1980s.

Australasia Cup 1986
The highlight of Javed's career came during the Australasia Cup in 1986. The Pakistanis had managed to make it to the final, and were up against India.

India batted first, with the Indian batsmen made 245 runs, leaving the Pakistanis with a required run rate of 4.92 per over.

Javed Miandad came in to bat at number 3, with the score at 39 for 2 wickets, and the required run rate had risen to 7 an over. Four runs were required off the last ball, and Javed Miandad hit a six that sealed the victory for Pakistan.

Pakistan suddenly became considered as one of the best cricket playing countries in the world, and Javed Miandad became a hero.

His famous last ball six against India in Sharjah is still considered as one of the most historic moments in one-day cricket history. His amazing ability to work the ball in the places where fielders weren't present was appreciated very rightly by Viv Richards, who was once quoted saying, "If there was any batsman for which I could go and buy a ticket to see him batting that was Javed Miandad."

He was also complimented by the New Zealand commentator John Wright, who refused to concede victory to India, saying, "As long as Javed is there, anything can happen". Javed referred to this in his autobiography as, "One of the best compliments he has received in all his cricket years."


Controversies
Although a superb batsman with an excellent batting average, Javed was never far from controversies. Whether it was the controversial run out of Rodney Hogg, or the famous argument with Dennis Lillee, Javed Miandad always had controversies dogging him till the very end. His gritty attitude led him into many infield and onfield scuffles which only increased the controversy. This though, had little impact on Miandad, who used it to spur him on to greater heights.

Wisden Cricketer of the year in 1982

Miandad's finest moment - 'Eik Caror ka Chiqah' as it became popularly known at the time in reference to the sum of money he received from some arab fans at the time!!!