World Cup Classics: Pakistan claimed their first-ever World Cup victory to give Imran Khan the perfect send-off
Monday 9 February 2015 15:10, UK
Pakistan’s first-ever World Cup victory was a defining moment for captain Imran Khan and a triumph barely credible just a few weeks earlier.
The team began the tournament woefully, winning just one of their first five matches, but rallied around their inspirational captain to make history and condemn England to their third final defeat.
Bowled out for 74 by England earlier in the tournament, Pakistan again began poorly as Derek Pringle (3-22) removed both openers but they recovered from 24-2 thanks to a 139-run stand for the third wicket between Imran (72) – who survived a difficult chance to Graham Gooch on nine - and Javed Miandad (58).
Inzamam-ul-Haq (42 off 35 balls) and Wasim Akram (33 off 18) dented English hopes further with a quick-fire stand of 52 runs that left England chasing a target of 250 from 50 overs.
Wasim (3-49) followed up by removing Ian Botham for a six-ball duck – the opener clearly unhappy with the decision - and Alec Stewart also fell cheaply, caught behind the wicket by Moin Khan but this time off the bowling of Aaqib Javed.
Spinner Mushtaq Ahmed picked off Graeme Hick and the sweeping Gooch to leave England 69-4.
Neil Fairbrother (62) countered in a 72-run stand with Allan Lamb, Stewart acting as a runner for the latter part of his innings after the left-hander sustained a leg strain but to no avail.
Left-armer Wasim, bowling around the wicket, proved Pakistan’s trump card once again with two wickets in as many balls as he cleaned out Lamb with one that beat the edge to hit off-stump before Chris Lewis played on.
England’s chances were effectively over when Fairbrother was seventh out, top-edging Aaqib Javed behind.
Imran claimed the final wicket, that of Richard Illingworth in the last over, to wrap up a 22-run victory in front of an 87,000-strong crowd at the MCG in a hugely-fitting finale to his international career.
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