Imran Khan      

Full name Imran Khan Niazi

Born November 25, 1952, Lahore, Punjab

Current age 57 years 0 days

Major teams Pakistan, Dawood Club, Lahore, New South Wales, Oxford University, Pakistan International Airlines, Sussex, Worcestershire

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm fast

Other Administrator

Relation Cousin - Javed Burki, Cousin - Majid Khan

Few would dispute that Imran was the finest cricketer Pakistan has produced, or the biggest heart-throb. Suave, erudite and monstrously talented, he gave cricket in the subcontinent real sex appeal in the 1970s and 1980s. As such he and TV completed the popularisation of the game in his country which Hanif Mohammad and the radio had begun. Thousands, if not millions, who had never dreamt of bowling fast on heartless baked mud suddenly wanted to emulate Imran and his lithe bounding run, his leap and his reverse-swinging yorker. He also made himself into an allrounder worth a place for his batting alone, and captained Pakistan as well as anyone, rounding off his career with the 1992 World Cup. He played hardly any domestic cricket in Pakistan: instead he just flew in for home series from Worcestershire or Sussex, or rather from the more fashionable London salons. His averages (37 with the bat, 22 with the ball) put him at the top of the quartet of allrounders (Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee and Kapil Dev being the others) who dominated Test cricket in the 1980s. And whereas Botham declined steadily, Imran just got better and better: in his last ten years of international cricket he played 51 Tests, averaging a sensational 50 with the bat and 19 with the ball. He gave no quarter during some memorable battles with West Indies - Pakistan drew three series with them at a time when everybody else was being bounced out of sight - and he led Pakistan to their first series victory in England in 1987, taking 10 for 77 with an imperious display in the decisive victory at Headingley. After retirement he remained a high-profile figure, with his marriage - and subsequent split with - the socialite Jemima Goldsmith and a not entirely successful move into the labyrinthine world of Pakistan politics.
Martin Williamson

Imran Khan was a fine fast bowler and inspirational captain whose crowning achievment was leading Pakistan in winning the 1992 World Cup. A genuine all-rounder, he consistently made useful contributions with the bat in all forms of cricket. A bowler capable of producing enormous swing due to his somewhat unique action, he could also produce deadly bouncers. He was particularly effective in partnership with Sarfraz Nawaz. A determined and committed individual, Imran Khan bowled fast up until his retirement at the age of 39, an exceptionally long career for a pace bowler. His batting had less prominence, often coming in at number 7 in a very strong Pakistan line up. He was a stylish, hard hitting bat, generally orthodox in his approach, but an effective improviser and hitter when conditions demanded. Cousin of Majid Khan, he was a brilliant and sucessful university cricketer, captaining Oxford, and later playing for Worcestershire (briefly) and Sussex. As captain of Pakistan, he oversaw Pakistan's emergence and maturing as a force in world cricket and was also responsible for the nuturing of the next generation of Pakistani players, most notably Saeed Anwar and Waqar Younis.

(Muraari Vasudevan (muraariv@rocketmail.com) and Dave Liverman, Nov 1997).

Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1983
Played for New South Wales 1984-85

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Jun 19, 2009

Imran Khan speaks on how best to deal with the growing insurgency in Pakistan

© AFP

Nov 15, 2007

The front page of The Independent following Imran Khan's arrest

© The Independent

Jun 12, 2007

Imran Khan, former captain and now a politician in Pakistan, wants Pakistan Cricket Board to sue Jamaican authorities

© AFP

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