Javed Miandad

Javed Miandad is one of the greatest batsmen in the history of Pakistani cricket and a national sporting icon. Born on 12 June 1957 in Karachi, he made his Test debut in 1976 at age 18 and became the backbone of Pakistan's batting for two decades.

Career

Miandad scored 8,832 Test runs and 7,381 ODI runs, holding Pakistan's Test run record for years. He was famous for his unorthodox technique, fierce competitiveness and phenomenal match awareness. His most legendary moment came in 1986, when he hit a last-ball six off Chetan Sharma to win the Austral-Asia Cup final at Sharjah against India — a shot that remains the most famous in Pakistani cricket history. He was also the player of the match in the 1992 World Cup final.

He captained Pakistan in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and his confrontations with rival captains and umpires became part of cricket folklore. He later served as Pakistan's coach on three occasions and as a mentor for the national team.

Legacy

Javed Miandad is regarded as the greatest Pakistani batsman before Inzamam and Younis, and one of the most mentally tough players the game has seen. His aggressive, never-say-die attitude defined an era of Pakistani cricket.