On 25 March 1992, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Imran Khan lifted the World Cup. It remains the most famous day in Pakistan’s cricket history, and one of the great comebacks in any sport. Five weeks earlier, almost nobody gave Pakistan a chance.
A terrible start
The tournament in Australia and New Zealand was a single round-robin, with the top four reaching the semi-finals. Pakistan won just one of their first five games. Imran was carrying a shoulder injury, and fast bowler Waqar Younis had been ruled out of the tournament with a back injury before it began.
Against England in Adelaide, Pakistan were bowled out for just 74. Defeat looked certain, but rain arrived and the match was abandoned. The single point Pakistan earned that day would prove decisive.
“Fight like cornered tigers”
Imran told his players to fight like cornered tigers, and the team turned around. They won their last four group games, including victories over Australia and unbeaten New Zealand, and squeezed into the semi-finals on 9 points, one ahead of Australia.
Inzamam’s semi-final
In the semi-final at Auckland, New Zealand made 262 and Pakistan were falling behind the rate. A 22-year-old Inzamam-ul-Haq, struggling for form all tournament, came in and smashed 60 off 37 balls. Moin Khan finished the job, and Pakistan won by four wickets.
The final
Against England at the MCG, Pakistan slipped to 24 for 2 before Imran (72) and Javed Miandad (58) rebuilt. Inzamam and Wasim Akram then attacked late on, and Pakistan reached 249 for 6.
England were fighting back at 141 for 4 when Imran threw the ball to Wasim. In consecutive deliveries he bowled Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis, two of the most famous balls in the history of the game. England were all out for 227. Pakistan won by 22 runs, and Wasim was named Player of the Match for his 33 and 3 for 49.
The legacy
- Pakistan’s first and only men’s 50-over World Cup title.
- Imran, 39, took the final wicket himself and retired from international cricket soon after.
- It launched the careers of Inzamam and Wasim as world stars, and the cornered tigers became the defining image of Pakistan cricket.
Final scorecard summary
| Team | Score | Key performers |
|---|---|---|
| Pakistan | 249/6 (50 ov) | Imran Khan 72, Javed Miandad 58, Inzamam-ul-Haq 42, Wasim Akram 33 |
| England | 227 (49.2 ov) | Wasim Akram 3/49, Mushtaq Ahmed 3/41 |
Result: Pakistan won by 22 runs.