Pakistani bowling legend Wasim Akram has said in strong words that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should delete the commemorative video and apologize after 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan was omitted from the compilation it had posted to the occasion of nation's 76th Independence Day on August 14, 2023.
The video was a rich tribute to luminaries of the sport and their contributions to the country's cricketing heritage. The two-minute and twenty-one second video traversed through Pakistan's cricketing journey, commencing with their inaugural foray onto the international stage in 1952.
It highlighted the 1992 World Cup win, Pakistan’s only triumph in the tournament, and culminated at the juncture of the 2022 T20 World Cup, where the current Babar Azam-led side qualified for the final of the T20 World Cup 2022.
Pakistan pacer Wahab Riaz bids farewell to international cricket
“Making history isn't just about one day; it's about the legends we create and the tales we script. Pakistan Cricket Team – a legacy that echoes through time,” PCB posted.
However, the video sparked massive outrage due to the shocking omission of Imran Khan, the charismatic captain of the Pakistan team that won the 1992 World Cup. Many consider the absence of Imran, who also served Pakistan as its prime minister, to be politically fuelled.
Member of the 1992 World Cup winning Pakistani team, Wasim Akram expressed his anger at Imran's exclusion. Akram was the Player of the Final in that tournament and played most of his initial career under Imran Khan.
CWC 2023: Flight prices, hotel rates soar in Ahmedabad ahead of marquee India versus Pakistan clash
“After long flights and hours of transit before reaching Sri Lanka, I got the shock of my life when I watched PCB’s short clip on the history of Pakistan cricket minus the great Imran Khan… political differences apart but Imran Khan is an icon of world cricket and developed Pakistan into a strong unit in his time and gave us a pathway… PCB should delete the video and apologize,” Akram posted on social media platform X.
Imran Khan was recently arrested for the second time in a span of four months after an Islamabad court pronounced a verdict sentencing him to three years of imprisonment, simultaneously disqualifying him from political involvement due to his involvement in "corrupt practices."
