Hero of the first Asia Cup Surinder Khanna takes a nostalgic trip to the 1984 edition

By K.R. Nayar

Surinder Khanna, hero of the first Asia Cup in 1984 who bagged the Player of the Series award, never misses to visit the Sharjah Cricket Stadium when in the UAE. It was at this venue that he had scored back-to-back half centuries to ensure India lifts the Asia Cup for the first time, and that is always nostalgic for him. Very often while travelling with him from Dubai to this venue, he often narrates his memories of that historic match. He was in Dubai last week and we recalled incidents from that match once again before he set out to visit the Sharjah Stadium as he always does.

A fan lifts Surinder Khanna's bat after his match-winning knock in Sharjah in 1984

“It’s very nostalgic. It takes me back so many years. It was a 50-over match and not a T20 like this oncoming edition. No one had played any international matches here then and the feeling of scoring those half centuries and winning the trophy for India is difficult to explain in words.   What I appreciate is the vision of people like Abdulrehman Bukhatir who started cricket here. That vision has led us to be able to enjoy lots of cricket here,” said Khanna, who was a wicketkeeper batsman.

Surinder Khanna with Khalaf Bukhatir (left) and Waleed Bukhatir 

“I had never dreamt that I would be the first hero of a tournament. Today when I look back I feel I have done something special in life. This was possible because Bukhatir provided a stage for everyone to come and play. I am so happy that his sons, Waleed Bukhatir and Khalaf Bukhatir, are carrying further their father’s vision and ensuring that exciting cricket never stops in Sharjah. The volume of Abdulrehman Bukhatir’s contribution is immense. It is his vision to started cricket here, and that rubbed on to many other countries in the Gulf region to play cricket. Today, many Gulf countries stage tournaments and have good teams as well,” said Khanna, who met Waleed and Khalaf on his visit this time.

Mazhar Khan, General Manager Sharjah Cricket presents a memento to Surinder Khanna during his recent visit 

Khanna feels that the crowd here is special. “When I played those innings, the cheers of the crowd was unforgettable. Sharjah is a venue in which there are almost equal numbers of fans from India and Pakistan who turn up to watch. Those days fans were allowed to carry hand-held battery operated loudspeakers to the ground. So the comments they made through those speakers could be heard clearly. Also, these fans would compete with each other to cheer for their team, and when they cheered it enhanced our performance.”

The Indian team that won the first Asia Cup in 1984

Speaking about the curiosity that everyone had about playing in a desert for the first time, Khanna said, “Although Sunil Gavaskar and a few others had played in this venue before the Asia Cup in an exhibition match, everyone was still curious as to how the wicket would behave. Our first match was against Sri Lanka and we won the toss and elected to field. As wicketkeeper, I got a good feel of the wicket and so it was easy for me when I opened the innings. Kapil Dev did not play in that tournament due to a knee injury but Chetan Sharma, Madanlal and Manoj Prabkar bowled brilliantly and got Sri Lanka out for 96,” recalled Khanna who hit an unbeaten 51 to win the match for India by 10 wickets.

Abdulrehman Bukhatir 

Khanna believes that the role of the UAE in world cricket is immense: “Whenever any event cannot be staged in their country, be it a pandemic or a political situation, UAE venues have come to the rescue. I thank Jay Shah (secretary, Board of Control for Cricket in India) for always backing the UAE as a venue not only for the Asia Cup but for the Indian Premier League and the World Cup as well.  Every event has been held here professionally with the best of facilities. I feel happy that I played this match at Sharjah, a venue that went on to enter the Guinness Book of World records for hosting the maximum number of One Day Internationals.”

He is also proud that India has so many good wicket keeper batsmen these days who can be match winners any day like he did in the Asia Cup in 1984. “Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson. They all are consistent and win matches,” believes Khanna, who runs a coaching academy at the Lawrence School in Geeta Colony, New Delhi.