March 25 that is followed by Pakistan Day every year reminds nation especially cricket lovers of memorable moment in country’s cricket history when national team own the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup by defeating England in front of more than 89,000 spectators at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1992.
The history was written by a team comprising great players including swing star Wasim Akram, legend Javed Miandad and others. Above all, the skipper of the winning team was not other than incumbent Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The 1992 victory had changed the landscape of Pakistan’s cricket and after that the country dominated the 90s.
It was one of the proudest moments when Imran Khan held the impressive trophy and the team players cheered after the 22-run victory over England in final match.
The World Cup victory was the catalyst for future triumphs, including back-to-back ICC U19 Cricket World Cup titles in 2004 and 2006, ICC T20 World Cup 2009 trophy, lifting of the ICC Test Championship mace in 2016 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 victory at The Oval.
When Pakistan won the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, it became only the second country after India to win all four ICC Majors – the World Cup, the T20 World Cup, Champions Trophy and the ICC Test Championship mace.
ICC and cricket lovers from across the country are celebrating the historic win on Twitter by showing praising on Imran Khan and his team members.
https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1374926589503365122
https://twitter.com/tayyaba081/status/1374842084235083776
The day was also remembered by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as present and past members of the national cricket teams shared their views.
Younis Khan, who was 14 years old in 1992 and subsequently became the second Pakistan captain to win a major ICC event in 2009 before finishing as the most successful Test batsman, said: “The final of the 1992 World Cup is the only match of which I watched every ball. It was the month of Ramadan and I did not move from where I was sitting, even for Iftar [to break the fast]. I remember every ball of that match and it inspired me to win a trophy for my country and luckily Pakistan won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup under my captaincy in 2009.
Misbah-ul-Haq, who was then 17 years old and 24 years later lifted the ICC Test Championship mace, said: “It was an important milestone in our cricketing history and I remember that match. I was in FSc. We had to get up early in the morning to watch the matches and I have special memories of that event.
“That win inspired me to take up cricket. I used to play with tape ball before the 1992 win, but after it I started to play with the cricket ball. The way Javed Miandad and Imran Khan led the side and the way youngsters like Inzamam-ul-Haq, Wasim Akram and Aqib Javed rose to the occasion, I still remember everything as it is. Those moments became the shining light for me throughout my cricketing career and I applied them in my captaincy.”
Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was then a five-year-old but captained Pakistan to ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2006 and ICC Champions Trophy 2017 titles, said: “I was five when Pakistan won the World Cup and it is one of those moments which stay with you from the childhood. I started to play cricket after that win.
“I think it revived cricket in the country and it gave us the stars in Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mushtaq Ahmed and Moin Khan who went on to become legends. That victory remains a huge motivation for us as after it we went on to win the Asia Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017. Such victories inspire the coming generations to push themselves.”
