Throwback Thursday | Courtney Walsh refuses to ‘Mankad’ Saleem Jaffer in 1987 World Cup

Throwback Thursday | Courtney Walsh refuses to ‘Mankad’ Saleem Jaffer in 1987 World Cup

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Written by: Sritama Panda

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Welcome to a session where I tell you if you’re a fan of any sport you’re a victim of nostalgia. So, for everyone who holds reminiscence close to their hearts, we unravel our weekly special segment ‘Throwback Thursday’, where sportsmanship takes us on a sail - a trip down memory lane. 

It’s October 16, 1987, and we are witnessing one of the greatest games to have been played in cricket World Cup history. The local crowd, at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, are cheering for Pakistan as they take on the mighty West Indies in the third group game of the Reliance World Cup, hosted by India and Pakistan. The excitement and anticipation are at an all-time high at this moment when Pakistan, the home team are batting on 215/9, with two runs to win the game off the final delivery. West Indies’ main man Courtney Walsh holds the ball and the fate of both the teams in his hands. But before we witness the event, let us find out what took us to this point in history

The packed stadium speaks volumes about the importance of the game. It is THE Cricket World Cup and it’s a sport that everyone loves in the country. One look at the players and you know what they are going through. Walsh looks relatively relaxed despite such a huge responsibility was on him. At this moment, the game has reached equilibrium. Deemed as one of the best bowlers ahead of this World Cup, Walsh has had a fairly disappointing season. By disappointing, I mean, he managed only two wickets across the two matches leading up the current one. After all, this two-time World Cup champions team had the services of greats like Andy Roberts, Michael Holding and Joel Garner. Walsh was being held at that level and there was huge promise associated with the quick. Pakistan might have been favourites to win the game but Walsh has other plans. What has got us here?

Pakistan started as favourites, despite having lost their last three World Cup games against the Windies leading to this game, having won their first two games in the group stage. And with Imran Khan’s exploits with the ball, West Indies were restricted to a sub-par score of 216 in the first innings. It was the captain Vivian Richards who saved them from the blushes, with a fifty. But the game was far from being done, with Pakistan and their fierce batting lineup yet to make a mark. On the other hand, West Indies had their bowlers out of form. There’s desperation in the eyes of the fans which reflects on the batsmen on the field. Even though Abdul Qadir, who had accelerated the chase towards the end with his cameo, was on strike, the concern in Saleem Jaffer’s body language was more than evident. But above and beyond the responsibilities of the two Pakistan representatives, was a man almost 2 metres tall.  Pakistan might have been favourites to win the game, but Walsh had some other plans for the teams.

At the start of the chase, Pakistan made it look comfortable enough until the time they reached 92 for 3 and then Walsh happened. This takes us back to the opening game for West Indies, against England, a game that they lost after coming excruciatingly close. Having won the first two World Cups and lost one final in 1983, West Indies had built a dynasty in their name. Clive Lloyd’s reigns have been carried forward to Vivian Richards, the highest scorer of the tournament so far.  But Richards has more to prove as captain, as the current ruler of the dynasty. 

Holding the ball and fate of the West Indies side, Walsh takes his regular run-up, with only a motive to defend one run off the final delivery as the non-striker Jaffer sprints to leave his crease and takes a run even before the bowler could let loose of the ball. For microseconds, Pakistan’s fate was sealed at the hands of Walsh, who had a fair chance of winning the game for the Windies with just one act of Mankading. 

Well, I call it fair because it’s the same as any other runout allowed in the game of cricket. But somehow the term ‘Mankading’ had influenced fans and cricketers in a negative way. What was going on in Courtney Walsh’s mind will remain unknown, but for some reason, the giant refuses to run out Jaffer and stands there with a huge grin on his face, arms crossed. As Jaffer fearfully races back to his crease, Walsh will take a trod back to from where he will take a runup again. The final ball is yet to be bowled and with two runs required for Pakistan to win. The match can be anybody’s, thanks to Walsh, and that pretty much sums up the entire game that it has been so far. 

Pakistan chased with ease with a few hiccups until they reached a total of 183 for 5. He got rid of Saleem Yousuf, who had spearheaded the chase with a half-century, after having removed three main batsmen from the middle-order. Pakistan lost four wickets for 20 runs by the time they reached 203/9. The momentum has suddenly shifted to West Indies’ advantage. And by the time the contest reached the last over, Pakistan needs 14 runs off the six and Walsh needed just one wicket. Abdul Qadir takes a single off the first ball and Saleem Jaffar another off the second, leaving 12 runs to get off the remaining four. Qadir, who hasn’t had much significance with the bat, hits a two and then smashes a straight-six pumped up the crowd’s energy more than ever. 

They ran another two off the next ball, leaving two to get off the last delivery. And then came Walsh’s heroic moment of sportsmanship. For a second in between Walsh’s run-up and the grin that followed, fate was readjusted to what it was before the start of the delivery. 

Now, Walsh sure has produced one of the greatest moments in the ‘Gentleman’s game’ as far as the spirit of cricket is concerned. And ‘Mankading’ goes way back to the time when India toured Australia in 1947, and Vinoo Mankad had dismissed Bill Brown, not once but twice by removing the bails when he was outside the crease. An act thoroughly criticised by the Australian Press, calling it ‘unsportsmanlike’, became a taboo amongst everyone who associates themselves with the game. 

At this moment, Walsh has sure become a hero and the pressure is back on both the sides, equally. All of that leads to this one ball, in the court of Courtney Walsh’s. What happens next is going to establish the importance of Walsh’s act of ‘sportsmanship’. Walsh goes back to this spot and takes a run-up towards the final delivery of the game, yet again. Crowds are on their feet, racing heartbeats could be heard as the crowd goes silent….and...1...2...3.

Welcome to a moment in history. 

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