Read the article of India vs Australia 3rd Match Sharjah Cup 1987 - Sharjah Cup four-nation one-day international tournament of the 3rd ODI match played between Australia and India at Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium, Sharjah in 05th April 1987.
Sunil Gavaskar's unbeaten 78 and Mohammad Azharuddin's classy 84 steers to India comfortable seven-wicket victory over Australia in the third match of a Sharjah Cup.
Australia scored 176-6 in 50 overs with top scorer by David Boon cracked a 62 off 113-balls including three boundaries.
Geoff Marsh scored 39 off 89-balls including two boundaries, Steve Waugh 20, Dirk Wellham 17 and Greg Matthews 17 not out.
India best bowler by Maninder Singh, Kapil Dev both took 2-wickets and one for Manoj Prabhakar - Gopal Sharma.
India chased 177-3 in 42 overs with top scorer by Mohammad Azharuddin cracked a 84 off 129-balls including 4-fours & a six.
Sunil Gavaskar hit a unbeaten 78 off 109-balls including 6-fours & a six.
Australia best bowler by Steve Waugh , Bruce Reid and Simon O'Donnell each took one-wickets.
This match reported by Tony Lewis (Third Party Reference from The Daily Telegraph)
INDIA'S Sunil Gavaskar and Mohammed Azharuddin, shared a dazzling second-wicket stand of 165 to crush Australia in the Sharjah Cup cricket tournament.
Opener Gavaskar scored an unbeaten 78 and Azharuddin hit a superb 84 as India, facing Australia's 176 for six in 50 overs, swept home at 177 for three with eight overs to spare.
With a large Indian crowd frantically excited, it was not surprising that the emotions of a bull-fight took over at the end. No flowers were tossed on to the field, but plenty of cash. Azharuddin not only took the official $500 Man of the Match prize but had two gifts ammounting to £8,000 thrust into his wallet. Gavaskar too found his existing fortune augmented by another £4,000.
The pair came together in the first over of India's innings, when Srikkanth mistimed a delivery from Reid and was caught at mid-off with no score on the board. The 165 they put on was not only a record for any wicket in Sharjah but was also the Indian second-wicket record in international one-day cricket.
Australia's problem was in their batting, not their bowling. Allan Border could not play because he had hurt a finger, so Geoff Marsh deputised as captain.
Then they were living in the memory of their collapse-eight for three against Pakistan two days before. So they aimed at a no-risks, solid start. This they achieved but such was the lack of self-confidence they concentrated on a no-risks middle and end too.
Marsh and Boon put on 62 for the second wicket. Waugh joined in when Marsh had gone, but they were all inflexible. Prabharkar, the diminitive seamer from Delhi, bowled his 10 overs for only 18 runs, while Shastri and Maninder never turned a ball but they appeared to be sending down slow hand-grenades which no one was prepared to hit with any force in case they went off.
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