Lahore — Pakistani cricket legend Wasim Akram has taken a stand against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for leaving out former captain Imran Khan from a tribute video honoring the nation’s Independence Day on August 14.
Expressing his disappointment, Akram voiced his concerns on social media platform X (previously known as Twitter), urging the organization to remove the video and issue an apology. Despite any political differences, Akram emphasized that Khan, a cricket icon, played a pivotal role in transforming Pakistan into a formidable team during his leadership, leading them to success.
Akram stated, “After long flights and hours of transit before reaching Sri Lanka, I got the shock of my life when I watched PCB’s short clip on the history of Pakistan cricket without the great Imran Khan.” He further added, “Regardless of political issues, Imran Khan is a legend in cricket who transformed Pakistan into a potent team during his reign and provided us with a route to success. PCB should apologize and remove the video.”
The tribute video, which aimed to showcase Pakistan’s cricketing history, notably excluded Imran Khan, who captained the team to victory in the 1992 Cricket World Cup. Surprisingly, the former captain did not appear in any footage or photographs, unlike other players such as Salim Malik, Wasim Akram, and Inzamam-Ul-Haq.
Pakistan’s victory in the 1992 Cricket World Cup, under the leadership of Imran Khan, remains the nation’s sole triumph in the prestigious tournament. Khan’s contributions to the sport and his role in guiding the team to success have made him a revered figure in Pakistani cricket history.
After retiring from cricket, Imran Khan went on to establish the political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and served as Pakistan’s 22nd Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022. However, he faced a vote of no-confidence in 2022, resulting in his removal from office. Since then, Khan has been involved in approximately 150 court proceedings and was detained in May on suspicion of corruption.
Additionally, Imran Khan received a three-year prison sentence and a five-year ban from holding public office. Despite the controversies surrounding him, his contributions to cricket and his role in leading Pakistan to victory in the 1992 World Cup cannot be denied.
Wasim Akram’s criticism of the PCB’s exclusion of Imran Khan from the Independence Day tribute video highlights the significance of Khan’s impact on Pakistani cricket. It serves as a reminder of his legendary status and the transformation he brought to the team during his captaincy.
