Imran Khan was born on 5 October 1952, in Lahore Pakistan. He is better known as a former cricketer, philanthropist, Pakistani politician, former chancellor of University of Bradford and cricket commentator…
Khan played cricket for over two decades between the years of 1971 and 1992 after which he retired and entered politics. He is Pakistani’s most successful cricket captain leading the country to the 1992 World Cup. He served as a captain in the decade between 1982 and 1992. Imran Khan retired in 1987 however, in 1988 due to public demand he was recalled from retirement by the President of Pakistan to lead the team into the world cup. At the age 39, he had led Pakistan to the 1992 World Cup victory with 362 wickets and 3807 runs in Test cricket. The record positions him among top eight cricketers to achieve all rounder’s Triple in test matches.
Imran Khan cricketing journey
Khan made his debut in first-class cricket at the age of 16 in Lahore. As at the 1970s, Khan was playing for different teams in Lahore and by 1973, he played for the University of Oxford cricket team where he was studying. Khan was regarded an average medium pace bowler. After finishing his studies at Oxford, he returned to Pakistani in 1976 and secured a place in the national team in the 1976 and 1977 season. In that season, they faced Australia and New Zealand. In the Australian series, Khan toured West Indies where Greig Tony signed him for the Kerry Packer World Series Cricket. During his career, he stood out as one of the fastest bowlers in the world. He finished third behind Jeff Thomson, Michael Holding at 139.7 km/hr in the fast bowling contest in 1978 at Perth.
As a fast bowler, Imran Khans cricketing peak was in 1982 when he got 62 wickets in nine Tests an average of 13.29 each. It is the lowest average in Test history of any bowler with at least 50 wickets of a calendar year. When playing against India in January 1983 he got a Test Bowling score of 922 points although ICC ratings did not exist by that time it is a performance that positions him third in the ICC all time Bowling Test rankings.
Imran Khan statistical achievements
Khan achieved 3000 runs and 300 wickets in 75 tests holding the second fastest record in the all-rounder triple behind Ian Botham’s of 72 tests. He also has the second highest all-time batting average for a Test batsman position at 61.82. He retired permanently after leading his country to the historic 1992-world Cup win having played 126 innings, 88 test matches and scored an average of 37.69 in 3807 runs with 18 fifties and six centuries. Imran Khan highest score stands at 136 runs and as a bowler Khan took 362 wickets that made him the world fourth bowler and Pakistani first in Test cricket history. In ODI, he has an average of 33.41 in 175 matches and 3709 runs.
Finally, after retiring from cricketing he has ventured in public service where he excelled well being voted Asia’s person of the year in 2012.
