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.”
Dear Prime Minister, thank you for the inspiration through your resilience. You have taught us to live a passionate life for the causes we believe in and to never give up on them. We will make you proud by always carrying the Pakistan flag high! #HappyBirthdayPMIK pic.twitter.com/humnfRvpy7
— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 4, 2021
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.
A legendary allrounder and an inspirational captain who signed off with a World Cup triumph #OnThisDay A happy 69th birthday to Imran Khan, the greatest cricketer has produced!
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 5, 2021
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.”
Happy birthday to the man who led @theRealPCB to @CricketWorldCup glory in 1992, the one and only Imran Khan pic.twitter.com/b11zplCyQD
— ICC (@ICC) October 5, 2021
The Pakistan Cricket Board listed Khan’s achievements in cricket.
3807 runs and 362 wickets in Tests
3709 runs and 182 wickets in ODIs
Third leading wicket-taker for Pakistan in Tests
A match-winning all rounder
A @cricketworldcup winning captain
And our Prime MinisterHappy Birthday @ImranKhanPTI! pic.twitter.com/AJuhwir3yl
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 5, 2021
Cricket mobile application CricWick called him “arguably cricket’s biggest icon — the great Imran Khan.”
Most wickets as captain in international cricket:
Imran Khan
W Akram
D Vettori
S Pollock #OnThisDay in 1952, arguably cricket's biggest icon - the great Imran Khan was born in Lahore #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/gFhEULY0O8— CricWick (@CricWick) October 4, 2021
