It seemed like 1979 all over again as Pakistan played the Windies in the semi-final of the 1983 World Cup. After an excruciating end to their last World Cup campaign, the Imran Khan-led side longed to avenge the four-year-old loss at the very same venue. 

In 1979, London’s Kensington Oval was witness to the Clive Lloyd-skippered West Indies first kneecapping Asif Iqbal’s Pakistan with a dominating opening stand of 132 runs between Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes. It then shattered their dream of securing a berth in the final as Sir Vivian Richards and Sir Andy Roberts dismissed the last seven batsmen for just 63 runs to secure a 43-run victory. 

The two sides met again on a bright sunny day in London with the aim to contest India in the 1983 final. Put into bat by the legendary Windies captain Clive Lloyd, who had already bagged two World Cups, Pakistan’s batting lineup crumbled on a rather good batting surface. 

Abdul Qadir narrates what happened when he took on the great Sir Vivian Richards in the semi-final of the 1983 World Cup

Though opener Mohsin Hasan Khan held one end until the 57th over with his 176-ball 70, the wickets tumbled from the other. The 60-over contest saw Imran Khan’s side post an arduous 184/8 at just 3.06 runs per over with a mere two boundaries. 

“Pakistan could not have thrived with such a total with their traditional approach,” realised spin magician Abdul Qadir.

“Psychology is an integral part of cricket and international cricket is all about subduing your opponent with different mind games.”

Although much has been written and discussed about mind games in cricket, one couldn’t help ask Qadir, arguably the greatest leg-spinner to have played the game, how a leg-spinner thinks.

“Let me tell you a story which may answer your query,” he says reminiscing about June 22, 1983 — a forgettable day for Pakistan cricket followers but a pretty memorable one for Qadir.

“We had put up a small total and we needed to attack.”  

“I had just bowled Desmond Haynes on a beautiful delivery for which I was being praised by Imran. During our celebrations, I watched the next batsman walking in. Imran, after looking at the strolling batsman, enquired about the field placements,” remembers Qadir.

“I told him to give me silly mid-on, silly mid-off, a slip and a gully. Imran asked me to watch the batsman and rethink the close-in fielders. Though I was aware of who was replacing Haynes, I asked, ‘who is the batsman?’ Imran replied: ‘It’s Vivian Richards.’ I asked, ‘So what?’”

Yet again, Pakistan were virtually out of contention from the World Cup final because of the steady start provided by the Windies openers Greenidge and Haynes. With the latter back in the pavilion, the duo had left the crease and the scorecard read 56 for two. The odds favoured the batting side heavily considering their hefty middle-order batting and the small target put up for them. 

Qadir placed silly mid-on, silly mid-off, and a slip as Richards marked the leg-stump guard. Confounded by the wrist spinner’s tactics, the prolific batsman walked towards Qadir before facing his delivery. 

“Vivian was bewildered to see fielders around his bat,” explains Qadir. “Rather than facing the ball, he came to me and asked, ‘Abdul do you want to bowl with three close-in fielders at me?’ I replied: ‘Yes, I would love to.’”

Then 27, Qadir was celebrated for reviving the art of leg-spin bowling in an era when pacers reigned supreme. He bamboozled the batsmen with his tactics throughout his career. 

A proponent of the notion that mentally tougher sides were more likely to win games than the extraordinarily talented ones, Qadir often tried to get inside the batsman’s head even before they could mark their guard. The same was unfolding here. 

The exchange continued between the two greats as Richards wondered whether Qadir was aware of the nature of the match. “He asked me if I knew it was a one-day match to which I assured him, ‘Yes I do.’ My set-up continued as I closed my wrist and used the edge of the crease. Whenever a leggie closes his wrists, he does so to bowl a googly.”

Known for his excessive use of the crease and variations, Qadir was blessed with the ability to deceive batsmen at will. Legend has it he could bowl six different deliveries in an over. The leg-spinner possessed two different forms of googlies; one off his wrist, a bit slower; and the other off his finger, which was quicker.

“I had determined that I would bowl an immaculate line and length, denying him any chance to cut or to drive me,” states Qadir. “It was a beautiful sight as Viv batted in front of a jam-packed crowd with three close-in fielders.”

Qadir bowled his stock leg-spinners on the first three deliveries. By now he had laid the trap and was ready to send the greatest limited-overs batsman to have ever played the game, packing. “I made Viv believe that bowling with a close wrist was part of my action. Now, I introduced him to my googly at which he faltered. 

“Ijaz Faqih, stationed at silly mid-on, dropped a lollipop catch which could have been taken by a child. It came to him like a balloon,” bemoans Qadir. 

The great West Indian batsman went on to secure an eight wicket win for his side with a tremendous 80 at a strike rate of 83 that included 11 fours and a six. But, before that he walked towards Qadir once again, took his glove off, shook the latter’s hand and said: “Well bowled, sir!”

The writer tweets @ahsannagi

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, December 25th, 2016