March 25, 1992 will always be remembered as one of the most glorious days in the history of Pakistan cricket. It was on this day, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, that Imran Khan’s ‘cornered tigers’ completed their fairytale journey at the cricket world cup. Wasim Akram’s magic, Ramiz Raja’s flight of victory, Aamir Sohail’s sajda, Imran Khan’s controversial speech are the various moments that spring to mind when one recollects the magical 22-run win.
What is your favourite moment from the final? Where did you watch it? Did you think Pakistan would be able to pull it off? Who was your player of the match?
It was the best moment of sports in my life….I am a cricket crazy guy…and always cherished what Imran’s cornered tigers achieved that day….
I remember every moment of 92 world cup, I was in class 8 and it was Ramadan. Still when I think about those moments, I have tears in my eyes. How you will feel when your green flag is floating in whole stadium. God Bless to Pakistan.
To highlight only one favourite moment from the historic grand final of the 1992 cricket world cup is pretty hard. In fact, it is tantamount to encompassing a river in a small cup, as they say. However, beside the dynamic leadership of the great Imran Khan and the excellent match strategy formation and its successful implementation by Javed Miandad, some of the historic moments of this famous match that I had the honor of watching on this day in 1992 at the main hall of Pakistan Association in Dubai-UAE, could be classified as following:
(1) The last catch-of-the match by Rameez Raja.
(2) The lethal bowling of Wasim Akram, especially his golden wickets off two successive balls dismissing Alan Lamb and Chris Lewis – few of the best batsmen in ODI cricket at that time.
(3) The long-leg boundary catch of Graham Gooch off the bowling of Mushtaq Ahmad by Aaqib Javed, who was also not that a good catcher during his cricketing days.
(4) The magnificent batting of Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Wasim Akram and all others. The decision of Imran Khan to promote him in the batting order was a well thought and planned tactic, which fortunately paid big dividends in the end.
(5) Nine mandatory overs bowled by an otherwise non-recognized bowler cum utility cricketer ‘Ijaz Ahmad,’ who was selected in the team as a batsman or a good fielder only. Nevertheless, the credit goes to Imran Khan for picking him up and providing him a chance to show his real cricketing skills and abilities in one of the biggest matches of his professional life.
(6) The faces of English players at the prize distribution ceremony especially those of Ian Botham, Neil Fairbrother, Graham Gooch as well as Colin Cowdery, who was not part of the losing team but awarded the prizes at the victory stand.
(7) The victory lap by the Pakistani team under the green Pakistani flags wrapped around them at the end of the match including the public ‘Sajdaa’ of Moin Khan in the middle of the ground.
(8) The speech of Imran Khan at the victory stand. Although few people objected to the contents of his speech but I don’t blame him for that since he was fully focused on his cancer hospital and came out of his retirement only because of his dream of building the cancer hospital in memory of his great mother on the soil of the “Land of the Pure.”
(9) The public comment by some of the team players at the end of the match saying “now our houses will also be built.”
(10) Prizes of “plots” in Islamabad given to all members of the world cup winning team by the government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in a fair and equitable manner including non-playing members like Iqbal Sikander and coach Intikhab Alam must also be commended by all.
My player of the match was Imran Khan and yes, I was quite sure that Pakistan will win the grand final because of the way they made it to the final and it was evident that some ‘Bigger, Mightier and Supreme power’ in the heavens had already made the decision in favour of the ‘green-shirts’ from day one. Pakistan Zindaa Baad, People of Pakistan, Paeendaa Baad.
Wow, what a great summary.
One of the most memorable moments besides the two Wasim Akram magic deliveries was when Javed Miandad and Imran Khan hugged each other after the win. The two legends knew that they had done the job!
I was a 10 year old kid back then and we were living in Cairo, Egypt. I never saw the match live on TV because in those days of pre-satellite TV there was no cricket. We followed the match by regular phone calls from Pakistan and Europe where our relatives were living.
One of the greatest moments ever. It made us realize our potential as a nation. Simply fabulous!
It is now past, develop the nation in every discipline.
I am an Indian but I love the way Pakistan team used to play in those days. They used to play for their country with passion. But now they seems to lack that passion. Hope the passion will return and so does the wonder days of Pakistan cricket. Best of Luck!!!!!!!!!!!
Asalam o Alaikum. Yeah that was a great win for our country and nation. You know every event reflects the mindset of ours. Now its past and we need to build on that and learn lesson from that those memories can be revived but national effort required in every field.we need to get out of our shells and for one last time we have to think for country. We as people need to work practically to save our country from present crisis.
Wasim Akram’s wickets on two succesive balls. His celebration after those wickets mirrored what every Pakistani felt at that moment.
I was in Chicago, and the students and community members rented a hall at a lake shore drive school auditorium to project the match on the big screen. And I watched it along with 100s of other spectators all through the night till dawn. Dont remember anybody Sajda or anything else it was Imran’s occasion to rise up and he did.
I still remember enjoying the 1992 world cup in ramazan !!!……we would bunk college although my fsc exams were dangerously near, and go watch the matches at a friend’s place, esp the last 4 matches!!!,….cheering and supproting pakistan!!…..i think it was one the most cherished moments of my life….watching the great imran khan lifting that world cup!!…can’t forget that toss where imran came up wtih a tiger T shirt….wow! that was amazing and u could see graham gooch already flattened!!…we need a captain and a leader like imran!!
Aaqib catching Gooch and running in a giant circle with the whole team chasing him. He told me once that it was most amusing that after his doging and running he ended up hugging Salim Malik, the one player he never got along with.
lol…thats what sheer happiness do to you.
History reminds us that whenever we are united as a team or nation success is achieved
Hi there,
We forgot one person that is Moin Khan, who won semifinal for us in death overs. So, in my opinion Moin Khan was the real tiger for semifinal and off course for final its team effort from all the player specially Wasim Akram and Inzi.
Thanks
The victory achieved at MCC was great but overshadowed by the performance of Team Pakistan in past two decades. We don’t live in past, rather past shall be the reflection of future as we see in Australian team.
Yeh, I remember it was Ramadan. I belong to Chitral with no TV facility at the time. Everybody used to listen to transistors. I recall the movement when I was sent to the govt. guest house (Booni) carrying ‘Iftari’ for the non-local college teachers who were residing at guest house. I found many teachers carrying radio sets and one of them cried with joy saying “now it should be clear”. I didn’t know what the lecturer was saying and later it was what you have penned.
No doubt the memorable moments were Miandad hugging Imran Khan & Waseem Akram’s two wickets on two Balls.
Besides this, Imran khan’s aggressive batting attack & Miandad’s defensive playing technique played a key & pivotal role in achieving the milestone of Worl Cup.
No doubt the memorable moments were Miandad hugging Imran Khan & Waseem Akram’s two wickets on two Balls.
Earlier I had said Inzi for the semifinals, but the final was a really team effort from pakistan, and Imran khan’s leadership + batting and Akrams bowling were the standout performers for Pakistan.
Magical moment…. When Wasim Akram bowled Alan Lamb with a gem of a delivery!!!
I think Inzi for the bashing he gave the Newzealand bowlers in the semi finals of the world cup, for he was the one who took the game away single handed from Newzeland, he made 60 runs from just 30 balls, and pakistan won the match with just one over to spare.
I was living in a hostel in Lahore doing my FSC back in the day and I can still close my eyes and live those moments again with an absolute sense of fulfilment and joy. I watched it with 60 plus other mates on a TV in our Hostel Mess. We were always strictly required to keep it down while watching sports but THAT DAY our Warden gave us full permission to be as loud as we could and LOUD WE WERE!! I remember we started watching it in Chairs, then standing all up and by the close of the match we were literally standing on top of the Big Mess Tables and going bananas. Some of the best moments of my life. Long Live Pakistan!!
Dear all it was a great win for every pakistani,full credit went to whole team specially captain who mananged such team.
Celeberation of Wasim Akram after getting Lewis wicket.
It was a great victory. I was only 4 years old back then so I couldn’t experience the euphoria of what had happened. But I think its time to move on and correct our present state of sports in Pakistan rather than remaining in the past.