Asia Cup 2018: Five Memorable India-Pakistan Matches In UAE

Sunday's India-Pakistan Super Four match at 2018 Asia Cup will be the 28th meeting between the arch-rivals in the United Arab Emirates.

Three venues – in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai – have hosted these fixtures. But Sharjah, which used to be a cricketing hub, last hosted an India-Pakistan match in 2000 with other two venues emerging as the new favourites for cricket administrators.

Pakistan lead the head-to-head record with 19 wins, all of which except one came at Sharjah. India have won eight times - six in Sharjah and one each in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Ahead of today's match, we pick five memorable India-Pakistan matches played in UAE.

1. Austral-Asia Cup Final at Sharjah on April 18, 1986

This is probably the most talked about India-Pakistan match in the history, thanks to Javed Miandad's last-ball six against Javed Miandad. India made 245/7 thanks to Sunil Gavaskar's 92 off 134, but Miandad remained unbeaten on 116 off 114 as Pakistan won by one wicket. Many still believe it was the turning point in India-Pakistan rivalry. Having gained the psychological advantage, Pakistan went to dominate India for decades until the arrival of a new crop of world beaters from the other side of the fence. The head to head record still favours Pakistan.

2. Rothmans Four-Nations Cup, 1st Match at Sharjah on March 22, 1985

Imran Khan destroyed India with his best bowling figures, 6/14 with two maiden overs. Mohammad Azharuddin (47) and captain Kapil Dev (30) somehow, from 34/5, dragged to total to a fighting 125. Then, Indian bowlers turned up to weave magic. Kapil led with three wickets (3/17 from 6.5 overs) as India dismissed Pakistan for 87. L Sivaramakrishnan (2/16 from seven overs), Ravi Shastri (2/17 from 10 overs) and Madan Lal (12/1 from six overs) also did the trick. Roger Binny was the other bowlers India used, but he went wicketless, conceding 24 from his three overs. Rameez Raja top-scored for Pakistan with 29 as India won the match by 38 runs.

3. Wills Trophy, 6th Match at Sharjah on October 23, 1991

A new era in the India-Pakistan rivalry. But this was the perfect chance to exorcised that Miandad six. A depleted Pakistan side still managed to post 257/7 thanks to Aamer Sohail's 91 off 133 and skipper Imran Khan's 24-ball 43. India were cruising at one stage, at 219/4, then lost the plot. Needing 12 runs from the last over, Manoj Prabhakar and Kiran More could manage only eight runs, losing by four runs. It was a matter of a hit.

4. Pepsi Sharjah Cup, 4th Match at Sharjah on April 15, 1996

Not a typical thriller, but this match was Featuring some of the greatest names in world cricket, the three-nation tournament started with India losing to both Pakistan, by 38 runs and to South Africa by 80 runs. Needing a win and favourable results from other matches to stay alive in the match, India posted than a mammoth 305/5 thanks to hundreds from Sachin Tendulkar (118 off 140) and Navjot Singh Sidhu (101 off 117), and captain Mohammad Azharuddin's 10-ball 29. It was the first time, India went past 300 runs in ODI. India then went to qualify for the final, thanks to their better net run-rate over Pakistan. Then, lost the final to a rampant South African side, which won all their matches.

5. Wills Trophy Final at Sharjah on October 25, 1991

Not many individual performances came close to matching Aaqib Javed's fiery spell in this spell. His 7/37 was for a long time world's best bowling figures in ODI. He claimed seven of India's top eight, including a hat-trick (Azharuddin, Tendulkar and Sanjay Manjrekar). Indis sure came prepared to face Wasim Akram, Imran Khan and Waqar Younis – then the best pace trio in the world, but were undone by the youngest of the lot. Chasing 262, India were dismissed for 190.