On March 21, 1992 in Auckland, a 22-year-old Inzamam-ul-Haq came in at 140 for 4 chasing 263 against tournament leaders New Zealand and smashed 60 off 37 balls to power Pakistan to a four-wicket win and into the final. Inzamam had nearly been left out of the playing XI.
Inzamam was a 22-year-old prodigy from Multan with limited international experience before the 1992 tournament. Pakistan's group form had been so poor that he had not been a regular starter; Imran had pushed his case.
New Zealand had won every group match and were widely tipped to win the tournament. Crowe batted with a hamstring strain (and was carried off afterwards), making 91. New Zealand 262/7. Pakistan 140/4 in the chase, requiring 123 off 15 overs.
New Zealand, unbeaten in seven group games and led by Martin Crowe (91 with a hamstring injury), set Pakistan 263 to win on Eden Park's drop-in pitch. Pakistan slipped to 140 for 4 with the required rate climbing past seven an over — well above the average ODI pace of 1992. Inzamam had been a peripheral squad member; selected partly because Imran insisted. He walked out chewing gum, faced Danny Morrison, and immediately played a back-foot pull for four. He hit Dipak Patel and Chris Harris over their heads. Sixty came off 37 balls with seven fours and one six. He added 87 in 10 overs with Javed Miandad (57 not out) and was finally caught for 60. Miandad and Moin Khan saw Pakistan home with six balls to spare — a four-wicket win. Inzamam was Player of the Match.
Pakistan 140/4 — Imran out, Inzamam in
Inzamam pulls Morrison for four off the second ball
Lofts Patel down the ground for six
Reaches 50 in 31 balls
60 off 37 — caught for 60; partnership of 87 in 10 overs
Miandad 57* — Pakistan win by 4 wickets with 6 balls to spare
March 21, 1992 — afternoon
New Zealand 262/7; Crowe 91 (carried off injured).
Pakistan chase
140/4 in the 35th over; Inzamam in.
Inzamam 60 off 37
Partnership of 87 in 10 overs with Miandad.
Closing overs
Miandad 57*, Moin Khan finishes; Pakistan win with 6 balls to spare.
“Imran told me before I went in: 'Just enjoy your batting. Forget the situation.' I did.”
“I'd never seen a young player walk in and hit international bowlers like that. He was a man-child.”
The innings that announced Inzamam-ul-Haq to international cricket and put Pakistan into the World Cup final.
The Auckland semi-final innings was named the greatest World Cup moment in an ICC fan poll in the 2010s (later beaten only by Jonty Rhodes' run-out from the same tournament). Inzamam captained Pakistan from 2003-2007 and played a defining role in their middle order across two decades.
Yorkshire v Essex
1932-06-16
On 15-16 June 1932 Herbert Sutcliffe (313) and Percy Holmes (224*) put on 555 for the first wicket against Essex at Leyton, breaking the world first-class record for any wicket and adding a layer of folklore — including a scoreboard that read 554 for several minutes and a hastily reversed declaration — that has clung to the partnership ever since.
Australia v England
1933-02-14
With the fate of the Bodyline series in the balance and England 216 for 6 chasing 340, Eddie Paynter checked himself out of a Brisbane hospital where he was being treated for acute tonsillitis, taxied to the Gabba in pyjamas and a dressing gown, and batted for nearly four hours to score 83. England drew level on first innings, won the Test by six wickets and the series 4-1.
Australia
1934-09-25
Days after the 1934 Oval Test, Bradman fell seriously ill with appendicitis that progressed to peritonitis. With antibiotics not yet available, he was given little chance of survival; his wife Jessie left Adelaide on a sea voyage to England prepared for the worst. He recovered after weeks of intensive nursing in a London nursing home and returned to first-class cricket the following Australian summer.