Imran Khan Niazi: Playing every role on his own terms

“Those were the days when the Pakistan team was notorious for fielding thirteen men against the opposition—Shakoor Rana and Khiser Hayator any of their own local umpires providing them great support. Call them patriotic as you wish but all their success had an asterix attached to it. But Imran said, 'No more.' And in that big series against arch rivals India, he single handedly ensured we had neutral umpires , John Hampshire and John Holder both from England. It became clear that Imran had the will—and the necessary influence—to make such far reaching changes to improve the perception of his team. He wanted the world to see his team beat India without help from the umpires. He was willing to risk losing in this endeavour. But as we found out over the next four months it was not easy to beat a side led by such a fierce competitor.”

Sanjay Manjrekar, in his autobiography Imperfect

Try as much as you may, there isn't a better way to describe Imran Khan Niazi the player, captain and leader than this. Always his own man. His ascendancy in world cricket was quick. His reign as the undisputed king of Pakistan cricket reshaped its present and future. In 2018, he speaks of tabdeeli (change). He transformed the way Pakistan played its cricket and how the world perceived its cricket team.

He is, without doubt, one of the best all-rounders in the game—his 21-year-long cricket career showcasing his all round capabilities, as a fiery right-arm fast bowler and a vital middle-order batsman. Fiercely competitive and never one to take a defeat well, Imran Khan was a born winner and a natural leader. The 1992 World Cup win perhaps defines him the best. He was 40—an age where the knees hurt more, the wear and tear become more apparent. But not for Imran Khan. In the twilight of his career, he got together his band of 11 men for one final shot at glory, all the while nursing a injured right shoulder. He marshalled his resources to come from behind—Pakistan lost the first five matches of the tournament and were almost out. He led from the front as a batsman especially, top scoring with a careful 72 in the final against England, beating the latter by 22 runs. In the absence of pace bowler Waqar Younis, he mentored a young Wasim Akram who came good with devastating effect in the finals.

Imran Khan took over the reigns of captaincy from none other than the mercurial Javed Miandad in 1982. Of the 48 Tests he captained, Pakistan won 14, lost 8 and 28 were drawn. He attained cult status when, in 1987, he led his team to a series win in India. Imran Khan announced his retirement from cricket after Pakistan failed to make it to the semifinals of the 1987 World Cup co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. In 1988, the then president of Pakistan urged him to come out of retirement and he rejoined the team as captain.

Born in a well off Pashtun family in Lahore, Imran Khan played most of his cricket outside Pakistan—he played for Oxford University, Sussex and Worcestershire. He is famous for “flying in” from England to be part of a cricket series involving Pakistan. He barely played domestic cricket.

In India, he was known as a fierce opponent, one whom Indians hated to lose to. Women swooned over the breathtakingly beautiful face in Godrej's Cinthol soap campaign. “Pace of the Khan, Soap of the Khan, India's winning soap... Cinthol”. The campaign, brainchild of Imran Khan's close friend, socialite and wife of Godrej group chairman Adi Godrej—the late Parmeshwar Godrej.

He has lived life king size—he was often the star “attraction” at parties of the who's who in England, Middle East, and in Pakistan. He rubbed shoulders with the glamorous. When in India, he was often spotted at parties thrown by showman Raj Kapoor in Bombay. And yes, he counted many a Bollywood divas among his dear friends.

That Imran Khan was meant for a greater role in public life was evident from the beginning. One of his life's mission was to set up a cancer treatment facility in his late mother's memory. The Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre has been a project extremely close to his heart and one he pursued zealously. In fact, the entire amount earned from the 1992 World Cup was donated to the hospital which was then under construction.

In April 1996, Imran Khan founded the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf—then a centrist political party. He contested from Mianwali for the National Assembly in October 2002 and won. In 2013, he was re-elected, with his party emerging as the second largest by popular vote.

On July 26, 2018, his party emerged as the single largest party. Imran Khan is set to lead Team Pakistan again. Life has indeed come a full circle for Khan sahib, as he is popularly called. Little wonder then that on his way back from casting his vote on Wednesday, Khan listened to The world is coming down—the song of the 1992 World Cup.