Cricket came across many international captains during '80s but there was only one leader on the cricket field and it was one and only Pakistani great Imran Khan. As he leads the race to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan has once again pulled the impossible like he did in 1992. It was in 1992 he transformed a bunch of talented cricketers into world cup winners.
It was during this time the greatest clash of cricketing history, India v/s Pakistan was more of a one-sided treat with Pakistan winning most of the matches at Sharjah. Imran Khan was a great leader who only wanted to win and hunt for new talents. The then captain of Pakistan Cricket was highly influential with the result the new talents were given the chance to prove themselves which most of them did. Indian Cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar in his autobiography Imperfect even mentioned how he would have been a better international captain had Imran Khan been his captain.
In 1980's Imran Khan was rated as the top allrounder who was known for his fast bowling and inswinging deliveries. Kapil Dev, Richard Hadlee, and Ian Botham were the other great allrounders around at that time. Besides being a great allrounder Imran Khan was known more for his leadership qualities. He was a strong captain and was able to take decisions for the cricket of Pakistan and it was him who brought the cup home for Pakistan in 1992.
Imran Khan who was a student of Oxford University had an eye for a talent and was extremely headstrong. It was him who developed some greats of Pakistan cricket history. Wasim Akram shared the new ball with Imran Khan who was there to guide him all the time. Wasim Akram is still considered as the best ever bowlers that the cricket ever produced. Imran Khan had learned reverse swinging of the ball from his captain Sarfraz Nawaz and he passed the same to Wasim Akram. It is true that Wasim Akram would not have been half the bowler he was as he then became the finest exponent of reverse swing.
It was Imran Khan who gave a young boy a chance to represent his nation when he saw him bowling in a domestic match with a slinging action, he enquired about the boy and he came to know that his name was Waqar Younis and the rest is known to the world. Even at the time of 1992 World Cup, he was able to unearth Inzamam-Ul-Haq who later on went to play for Pakistan for a long time before his retirement in the year 2007.
The 1980s was the era where cricketers had more grace and attitudes like a statesman. They happily complimented each other which was also a sign of good sportsmanship. I remember one in which Imran Khan maintained that 96 runs scored by Sunil Gavaskar in his farewell inning was among the best one he remembered.
In 1992 World Cup, he played more like a batsman as he struggled with a shoulder injury and could hardly bowl his quota of overs but the way he captained the team clearly showed it to the world that more than anything in a team what is important is to have a leader, the one who sets examples and is determined to the develop the team by being an inspirational and motivational support.
Nothing can be said about the politics and how he can serve for Pakistan as a Prime Minister but as Cricketer and leader there have not been many like him and he will always be admired for that.
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