The ongoing Asia Cup will be remembered more for politics and other-than-cricket drama. Jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken a sarcastic dig at Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, saying the only way Pakistan could win a cricket match against India is if Naqvi, along with Army Chief General Asim Munir, opened the batting.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, was heard relaying the comments by her brother, the celebrated former Pakistan cricket captain.
Aleema said she had informed her brother about Pakistan’s back-to-back defeats to India and Imran said the only way Pakistan can beat India is if Army Chief Gen. Munir and PCB Chairman Naqvi bat as openers. The umpires should be former Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, with Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar can serve as the third umpire, she added, quoting Imran’s sarcastic jibe at the state of cricket and political situation in Pakistan.
Incidentally, several Pakistani ex-cricketers have heaped praise on the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team after their decisive six-wicket victory in the Asia Cup Super 4s meeting.
This ongoing Asia Cup will be known more for politics and other-than-cricket drama. Incidentally, Pakistan refused to take the field against the UAE on Tuesday, demanding the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft. The protest followed tensions from the India–Pakistan match on September 14, where Indian players avoided handshakes with their Pakistani counterparts.
On the Sunday clash between the two countries in the Asia Cup, Pakistani players reportedly displayed visible frustration through a series of dramatic on-field gestures. Most prominently, they repeatedly performed the “aircraft going down” gesture, extending one arm forward and angling the other downward, symbolizing the team’s declining performance
Imran Khan, who led Pakistan to its only ODI World Cup victory in 1992, has long blamed Naqvi for the “destruction” of Pakistani cricket through “incompetence” and “nepotism.” The 72-year-old former prime minister also accused Gen. Munir of manipulating the mandate of his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in the February 2024 general elections, allegedly with the help of then Chief Justice Isa and Chief Election Commissioner Raja.
One of Pakistan’s most iconic cricketers, Imran Khan made his international debut in 1971 and quickly rose to prominence as a fast bowler and hard-hitting all-rounder. Renowned for his leadership skills, Khan was known for his aggressive yet strategic approach. Beyond statistics, his charisma and determination on the field made him a national hero, and his cricketing legacy continues to influence Pakistan’s cricket culture and aspiring players. Khan has been in jail for over two years in connection with multiple legal cases. He is currently held in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi. His wife Bushra Bibi was also sent to the same prison after the couple was convicted in the Al-Qadir Trust cases earlier this year.
