The Pakistan cricket team made its Test cricket debut in 1952 and has since become one of the most successful teams in modern cricket. The team reached the semi-finals of the 1979,1983, 1987 and 2011 World Cups, and finals in 1992 and 1999, and won the 1992 ICC Cricket World Cup by defeating England in the final with the captaincy of Imran Khan They are one of the most successful T20 sides but faced a big failure in T20 2016 having won the T20 World Cup in 2009 and been runner-up in 2007. And after that they have defeated India by big margin of 180 in the Final of Champions Trophy 2017 at The Oval. Pakistan has also been ranked as the Number 1 Test Team twice (summers of (1998& 2016) and Number 1 across all formats (Test, ODI and T20) at various points.[1]
Pakistan cricket had an inauspicious start and at the time of independence in 1947, it was much different to how it is today. Cricket was very thinly spread across the country and even in major urban centres of Lahore and Karachi the game was mainly played by the middle classes. It was unknown in Pakistan's rural hinterland. In the Pashtun dominated areas the game was rejected due to its association with British rule. Since the Board of Control for Cricket in India continued to be based in Mumbai, there was no central strucutre left for cricket in Pakistan. There were also no Test match grounds and no first class cricket competitions. There were only two turf wickets, both in Lahore. While India retained membership of the Imperial Cricket Conference, Pakistan had to start from scratch.[2]
To prevent Pakistani cricketers from drifting away from the game, Justice Alvin Robert Cornelius, the first vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan sought to attract international teams to Pakistan with great difficulty. West Indies captained by John Goddard were the first cricket team to tour Pakistan during November 1948. They were informed by Lala Amarnath that the Pakistan cricket team is "just a schoolboys' team", a statement that incensed the Pakistani cricket players.[3]. Justice Cornelius removed Mohammad Saeed as Pakistan's first captain and replaced him with Abdul Hafeez Kardar.[4]
Pakistan's first Test match was played in Delhi in October 1952 as part of a five Test series which India won 2–1. Pakistan made their first tour of England in 1954 and drew the series 1–1 after a memorable victory at The Oval in which fast bowler Fazal Mahmood took 12 wickets. Pakistan's first home Test match was in Dacca in January 1955 against India, after which four more Test matches were played in Bahawalpur, Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi (all five matches in the series were drawn, the first such occurrence in test history[6]).
The team is considered strong but unpredictable. Traditionally Pakistani cricket has had players of great talent but limited discipline, making them a team which could play inspirational cricket one day and then perform less than ordinarily another day. Over the years, competitions between India and Pakistan have always been emotionally charged and provide for intriguing contests, as talented teams from both sides of the border elevate their game to new levels to produce high-quality cricket. Pakistan's matches against India in the Cricket World Cup have seen packed stadiums and heightened atmospheres no matter where the World Cup has been held.
1986 Australasia Cup
1986 Australasia Cup, played in Sharjah, is remembered as a famous last-ball victory for Pakistan against arch-rivals India, with Javed Miandad emerging as a national hero.[7]
India batted first and set a target of 245 runs, leaving Pakistan with a required run rate of 4.92 runs per over. Javed Miandad came in to bat at number 3, and Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals. Later recalling the match, Miandad stated that his main focus was to lose with dignity. With 31 runs needed in the last three overs, Miandad hit a string of boundaries while batting with his team's lower order, until four runs were required from the last delivery of the match. Miandad received a leg sidefull toss from Chetan Sharma, which he hit for six over the midwicket boundary.[7][8]
1992 World Cup Semi Final
After winning the toss, New Zealand chose to bat first and ended with a total of 262. Pakistan batted conservatively yet lost wickets at regular intervals. With the departure of Imran Khan and Saleem Malik shortly thereafter, Pakistan still required 115 runs at a rate of 7.67 per over with veteran Javed Miandad being the only known batsman remaining at the crease. A young Inzamam-ul-Haq, who had just turned 22 and was not a well-known player at the time, burst onto the international stage with a match-winning 60 off 37 balls. Once Inzamam got out, Pakistan required 36 from 30 balls, which wicketkeeper Moin Khan ended with a towering six over long off, followed by the winning boundary to midwicket. The match is seen as the emergence of Inzamam onto the international stage.[9][10][11]
1992 World Cup Victory
The 1992 Cricket World Cup in Australia & New Zealand marked Pakistan's first World Cup victory. It is remembered for the comeback Pakistan made after losing key players such as Waqar Younis and Saeed Anwar, and being led by an injured captain Imran Khan. Pakistan won only 1 of their first 5 matches including a 1 no-result and were nearly eliminated in the first round of the tournament after being bowled out for 74 against England, until the match was declared as a "no result" due to rain. Captain Imran Khan famously told the team to play as "cornered tigers", after which Pakistan won five successive matches, including, most famously, the semi-final against hosts New Zealand and the final against England.[12]
2007 World Cup Shock
Pakistan participated in one of the biggest upsets in World Cup History when they were knocked out of the competition in a shock defeat to Ireland, who were playing in their first competition. Pakistan, needing to win to qualify for the next stage after losing to the West Indies in their opening match, were put into bat by Ireland on a green pitch. They lost wickets regularly and only 4 batsmen crossed double figures. In the end they were bowled out by the resurgent Irish for 132. The Irish went on to win the match, helped by a knock of 72 from Niall O'Brien. This meant that Pakistan had been knocked out during the first round for the second consecutive World Cup.[13][14][15]
Tragedy struck the team when coach Bob Woolmer died one day later on 18 March 2007 in a hospital in Kingston, Jamaica. Jamaican police spokesman, Karl Angell, reported on 23 March 2007 that, "Mr Woolmer's death was due to asphyxiation as a result of manual strangulation", and that, "Mr Woolmer's death is now being treated by the Jamaica police as a case of murder."[16]
Subsequent to his team's defeat and the death of Bob Woolmer, Inzamam-ul-Haq announced his resignation as captain of the team and his retirement from one-day cricket, stating that he would continue to take part in Test cricket but not as captain.[17]
On 23 March 2007, Pakistan players and officials were questioned by Jamaican police and submitted DNA samples along with fingerprints, as part of the routine enquiries in the investigation into Woolmer's murder.[18] Three days after leaving the West Indies for Pakistan, via London, the Pakistan team were ruled out as suspects. The deputy commissioner of Jamaican police. Mark Shields, the detective in charge of the investigation, announced, "It's fair to say they are now being treated as witnesses." "I have got no evidence to suggest it was anybody in the squad."[19] A memorial service was held in Sacred Heart Church, Lahore, for Bob Woolmer on 1 April 2007. Among the attendees were Pakistan players and dignitaries, including Inzamam-ul-Haq, who was quoted as saying, "After Woolmer's family, the Pakistan team was the most aggrieved by his death."[20] After the World Cup ended, serious doubts were raised about the investigation, with increasing speculation that Woolmer died of natural causes. This has now been accepted as fact, and the case has been closed.[21]
On 16 July 2007, Geoff Lawson, previously head coach of New South Wales, was appointed coach of the Pakistan for two years, becoming the third foreigner to take on the role.[22] In the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, Pakistan exceeded expectations to reach the final but ended as runners-up, after losing the final to India in a nail-biting finish. On 25 October 2008, Intikhab Alam was named as a national coach of the team by the PCB.
Player disputes and rebellions
The Pakistan team has been marred by player disputes and rebellions within the team on various instances. The first such reported instance was in 1981, when ten players including Imran Khan, Asif Iqbal and Majid Khan refused to play under the captaincy of Javed Miandad.[23] Once again, in 1992 Miandad was the target of another revolt this time led by Wasim Akram with the support of now retired Imran Khan. This led to Miandad being replaced with Akram. Later in 1993, when Wasim Akram was appointed captain of the national team, players including Waqar Younis and Javed Miandad revolted against him and Akram was removed as captain. Akram did regain captaincy again in 1996 and then again in 1998–99.[23]
In 2009, many senior players revolted against captain Younis Khan when the team was playing in the UAE against New Zealand. Press reports say that a group of eight players led by Shoaib Malik went to the house of former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, where they swore on the Quran to never play under Younis again.[24] Sensing the direction of the wind, Younis left the team for "rest" and the captaincy was awarded to Mohammad Yousuf.[25] On the subsequent Australian tour, differences between Yousaf and the other players came to the forefront, causing Yousaf to give the captaincy of the fifth ODI to Shahid Afridi. Shoaib Malik, captain the team in the T20 (after Afridi was suspended due to ball tampering), started a tirade against Yousaf. The above-mentioned revolt lead to an operation cleanup within the Pakistan team, when selectors were asked not to consider Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousaf for any future series.[26]
Tournament history
A red box around the year indicates tournaments played within Pakistan
The 1992 Cricket World Cup was the fifth Cricket World Cup, the premier One Day International cricket tournament for men's national teams, organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It was held in Australia and New Zealand from 22 February to 25 March 1992, and finished with Pakistan beating England by 22 runs in the final to become the World Cup champions for the first time. The tournament is remembered for the controversial "rain rule".
Mohammad Javed Miandad PP SI, popularly known as Javed Miandad, is a Pakistani cricket coach, commentator and former cricketer known for his unconventional style of captaincy and batting. ESPNcricinfo described him as "the greatest batsman Pakistan has ever produced" and his contemporary Ian Chappell extolled him as one of the finest batsmen in the history of cricket.
Wasim Akram is a Pakistani cricket commentator, coach, and former cricketer and captain of the Pakistan national cricket team. Akram is regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time. He is often revered as The Sultan of Swing. In October 2013, Wasim Akram was the only Pakistani cricketer to be named in an all-time Test World XI to mark the 150th anniversary of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. As captain, he led Pakistan to the finals of the 1999 Cricket World Cup, where they lost to Australia by 8 wickets. He was a part of the Pakistani squad which won the 1992 Cricket World Cup.
The Pakistan national cricket team has represented Pakistan in international cricket since 1952. It is controlled by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the governing body for cricket in Pakistan, which is a Full Member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Pakistan compete in cricket tours and tournaments sanctioned by the PCB and other regional or international cricket bodies in Test, One Day International (ODI), and Twenty20 International (T20) formats. Pakistan are current ICC Champions Trophy holders.
Waqar Younis Maitla HI is a Pakistani cricket coach, commentator and former cricketer who captained Pakistan national cricket team. A right-arm fast bowler, he is regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in cricket. He is the former head coach of the Pakistani cricket team. He was a part of the squad which finished as runners-up at the 1999 Cricket World Cup.
Syed Inzamam-ul-Haq SI, also known as Inzi, is a former Pakistan cricketer and captain of Pakistan national cricket team. He is regarded as one of the great players Pakistan has produced and one of the best middle-order batsmen of all time. He was the former chief selector of the Pakistan cricket team before resigning in 2023. He was a part of the Pakistani squad which won the 1992 Cricket World Cup.
Shoaib Malik (Punjabi, Urdu: شعیب ملک is a Pakistani cricketer who played for the Pakistan national cricket team and currently plays for Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League. He was the captain of the Pakistan national cricket team from 2007 to 2009. He made his One-Day International debut in 1999 against the West Indies and his Test debut in 2001 against Bangladesh.
Misbah-ul-Haq PP SI is a former Pakistani cricket coach and former international cricketer. Misbah captained Pakistan in all formats and is former head coach and former chief selector of the Pakistan national team. As captain, he led Pakistan to being the champions of the 2012 Asia Cup. Misbah was a member of the team that won the 2009 ICC World Twenty20, two years after the defeat from the final in the previous tournament.
The Pakistan national cricket team toured Australia in the 1989–90 season, under the captaincy of Imran Khan. The series set a Pakistan team, regarded as one of the strongest in the world against an Australian team returning from an unexpectedly successful tour of England. The series was marred by a series of incidents and conflicts, including a walk off by the Pakistani players during a tour match against Victoria in protest at an umpire's ruling. The three Test series was won by Australia 1–0.
Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka competed in the second Asian Test Championship between August 2001 and March 2002. India pulled out of the tournament due to political tensions with Pakistan.
Mohammad Younis Khan PP SI is a Pakistani professional cricket coach and former cricketer and captain of the Pakistan national cricket team in all three formats of the game, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest middle-order batsmen in Test cricket. Khan is the only Test cricketer in the history of the game to score a century in all 11 countries that have hosted Test matches. Younis Khan was a member of the Pakistan cricket team that won the Asia cup in 2012.Under his Captaincy Pakistan won the 2009 World Twenty20.
The history of cricket in Pakistan predates the creation of the country in 1947. The first international cricket match in what is now Pakistan today was held in Karachi on 22 November 1935 between Sindh and Australia. The match was seen by 5,000 Karachiites. Cricket was introduced by the British during their colonial rule of British India, which covered the area now known as Pakistan. Cricket is the most popular sport in the country. The Pakistan Cricket Board controls all domestic cricket in Pakistan and the national teams. Pakistan is an official member of the International Cricket Council and the Asian Cricket Council. Regarded as one of the best and most passionate cricketing nations, Pakistan has won the Cricket World Cup in 1992, ICC T20 World Cup in 2009, the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2004 and 2006, the ACC Asia Cup in 2000 and 2012. Pakistan were runner ups in the 1999 Cricket World Cup and 2007 and 2022 T20 World Cups. Pakistan have also been runner ups in several Asia Cup editions.
The final of the 1992 ICC Cricket World Cup was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne on 25 March 1992. The match was won by Pakistan, under the captaincy of Imran Khan, as they defeated England by 22 runs to lift their first ever World Cup trophy. This was the second Cricket World Cup final to be played outside England and the first in Australia. 87,182 spectators turned out to see the final.
Shaheen Shah Afridi (Urdu: شاہین شاہ آفریدی; Pashto: شاهین شاه اپریدی is a Pakistani international cricketer and the former captain of the Pakistan national cricket team in the T20I format. He is also one of the prime bowlers of Pakistan. Under his leadership, Lahore Qalandars won their first PSL title in the 2022 season and again went on to win the 2023 season, becoming the first team in PSL history to successfully defend their title. He is the first Pakistani to win the Garfield Sobers Trophy.
The PCB Hall of Fame is a hall of fame that honors cricketers in Pakistan, established and maintained by the Pakistan Cricket Board.
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