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XtraTime Web Desk: There have been many dressing room stories in Indian cricket that became folklore. But none can be more dramatic than what happened on April 17, 1986. It was a day ahead of the much hyped India Pakistan final of the Austral Asia Cup at Sharjah stadium in Dubai. There was huge anticipation for the final between two of the biggest arch rivals in the sub-continent. Pakistan team practiced in the morning followed by the Indians who trained in the afternoon. Cricket journalists from both the countries were at the stadium to take notes of the practice sessions. Pakistan captain Imran Khan briefed the media at the press conference room in the main administrative building. Indian players were just back in the dressing room after a rigorous practice session. It was really hot and humid that day in Sharjah. The Indian players Srikkanth, Gavaskar, Vengsarkar, Kirti Azad were all taking their seats inside the dressing room when two gentlemen entered. One was a popular face among the Indian cricketers then. Bollywood comedian Mehmood was accompanied by a suspicious gentleman who he (Mehmood) introduced to everyone in the dressing room as a businessman. Well in those days entering the dressing room in Sharjah Cricket Stadium was a common practice unlike these days when ICC Anti Corruption Unit’s keep a close watch about the movements of any individual other than the accredited personnel. Few senior Indian journalists have had the opportunity to enter the dressing rooms as there were no restrictions. The players used to invite a few scribes to the dressing room for a chat who they had a good relation with in those days. The businessman (Dawood Ibrahim was not known to anyone then leave aside the Indian cricketers) surprised everyone in the Indian dressing room by offering each cricketer a Toyota car if they won the final the following day. The Indian cricketers were looking at each other when Indian captain Kapil Dev rushed in the dressing room after his pre-match press conference. Needless to say Kapil did not like the presence of an unwanted individual in the dressing room. He immediately asked Mehmood to leave as he was supposed to have a team meeting. And pointing to the door Kapil told Dawood “Chal bahar chal”. A few years ago former Indian captain Dilip Vengsarkar, who was part of that team revealed the incident that took place in Sharjah. Former BCCI secretary Jatwant Lele too had mentioned this incident in his book, 'I was There -- Memoirs of a Cricket Administrator'. In one of the chapter he wrote about the incident about Dawood entering the dressing room and offering the players. "If the Indian team becomes champion here, I shall present a Toyota car to each team member, including officials, at their doorsteps in India," Dawood had told Lele and manager Dyaneshwar Agashe when they went out of the dressing room to meet the unknown (to them) wealthy industrialist in Sharjah. "As bad luck would have it, India lost the tournament. Australia were declared champions on the basis of a higher run rate, as Australia, England and India earned equal points! After the results were declared most team members were not in tears, but that man was!" wrote Lele. One of the most wanted Dawood Ibrahim was the alleged mastermind of the dastardly Mumbai blasts in 1993.