https://arab.news/v7r7d
- Khan led Pakistan to World Cup glory in 1992, became nation’s prime minister in 2018
- He was born in Lahore and is considered one of cricket’s greatest ever all-rounders
ISLAMABAD: Social media was abuzz on Tuesday with birthday wishes for cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, the 22nd and current prime minister of Pakistan, who is widely considered one of cricket’s greatest ever all-rounders.
Khan played cricket until 1992, served as the team’s captain intermittently between 1982 and 1992, and led Pakistan to Cricket World Cup glory — the country’s first and only victory in the competition.
His party’s success in the 2018 general election after two decades of being dismissed at the polls ended decades of political dominance by two dynastic powerhouses, the PML-N of three-time premier Nawaz Sharif, and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), founded and led by the Bhutto family.
On the occasion of his birthday, Khan’s political party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, thanked the leader for being an “inspiration” and said he had taught his followers to “never give up.”
ESPNcricinfo called him “the greatest cricketer Pakistan has produced.”
“A legendary allrounder and an inspirational captain who signed off with a World Cup triumph,” the sports outlet said.
The International Cricket Council wished a happy birthday to the man who led Pakistan to World Cup glory in 1992, “the one and only Imran Khan.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board listed Khan’s achievements in cricket.
Cricket mobile application CricWick called him “arguably cricket’s biggest icon — the great Imran Khan.”