Wasim Akram has produced some of the best performances at the most opportune times. Everyone knows the two wickets of him in two consecutive deliveries in the World Cup final in 1992 to take the game from England. He also scored a vital 33 runs from 18 balls in that final. Wasim Akram has produced such remarkable performances on many occasions, and the greatest.

One such magical performance was his six on the penultimate ball of the Nehru Cup final against West Indies when Pakistan needed 6 runs in the last two deliveries. Many people know and talk about the six on the last ball in Javed Miandad’s match against India to win the Australasian Cup final. But Wasim’s six on the penultimate ball to record a win against the West Indies in the Nehru Cup final was just as significant.

I still remember that day. I was in high school. We were on the floor busy doing some sport. A guy was listening to the comment on the radio. We were discussing amongst ourselves whether Pakistan would win or lose with six runs required from two balls when Wasim Akram came into the box. They all had their opinion. Suddenly, the guy who was listening to the radio yelled, Wasim Akram has hit six o’clock.

All six teams participated in the tournament and the two best one-day teams in the world at the time reached the final. In the final, the West Indies won the toss and chose to bat first. West Indies scored 273 led by Desmond Haynes, top score of 107. Chasing a target of 273 was quite a mighty task in those days and Pakistan had to contend with mighty West Indies bowlers. In a close chase, Pakistan lost one of their first early encounters. Ramiz Raja got off to a good start at the top and Ijaz Ahmad, Salim Malik and Imran Khan scored 50. It all came down to the last two balls. When Wasim Akram reached the crease, Pakistan needed six runs from the last two balls. Wasim Akram hit the first ball he faced and sealed victory and the Nehru Cup for Pakistan. Although Imran Khan was the man of the series and the match of the match in the Final, the victory would not have been possible without Wasim Akram’s six on the penultimate ball.