We can repeat history if domestic cricket is improved, says Imran Khan

E-Paper | July 29, 2026

On the 25th anniversary of Pakistan's Cricket World Cup victory, Imran Khan said on Saturday that the nation has not won another world cup as domestic cricket has not improved.

"We were never able to win another world cup since that time, in spite of the cricketing talent this country has, because we never improved on the domestic level."

He added that a nation only loses once it loses faith in itself.

"The team was new, and yet the only reason for the win was that we chose to fight till the end and not lose to our fears," said Khan in his message to the nation.

Imran Khan led a young Pakistan team to victory on March 25, 1992.

Pakistan's triumph in the event after a historic win against England in the final, remains the nation's biggest cricketing triumph to date and made stars out of Wasim Akram, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed among others.

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sid

Mar 25, 2017 06:27pm

Pakistan needs to root out corruption from cricket if it is to ever succeed.

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BLithe

Mar 25, 2017 06:27pm

So it is an admission that department Cricket of that era worked !!!

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Akram

Mar 25, 2017 06:39pm

Mr Khan, we've been hearing this mantra about fixing domestic cricket for years. Time to talk in a different direction. You won the Cup from the same structure. How about selecting players on merit, having right program to groom their technique and work on their fitness. How about having professional leadership and getting rid of par Nana and dada as cricketing heads... Or 70 year old Chacha as manager. Stamp out corruption and nepotism from the sport. Bring in discipline. These are the basics. Why don't you suggest solutions instead of harping on the same tune for 25 years.

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Mar 25, 2017 06:47pm

Inzmam says It was IK's faith which led us to WC triumph... IK You are Hero of our Times...May U get a chance to lead this nation towards a state of Peace,Prosperity and Justice...

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o Hanif

Mar 25, 2017 06:54pm

@Akram Totally agreed with you

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F Khan

Mar 25, 2017 06:59pm

It is not only cricket where we have gone down.We have gone down as a nation.Last 2 decades are lost decades for us and the reason is just one 'we have lost believe in ourselves'.

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Ayub

Mar 25, 2017 06:57pm

Cricket is by chance and it was our day.

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ivehadit

Mar 25, 2017 07:08pm

used to be only 7 teams. winning once in 25 years a pretty sad history.

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J. Gamble

Mar 25, 2017 07:16pm

@ivehadit -Which seven teams.

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M.Saeed

Mar 25, 2017 07:52pm

Corruption in cricket? It is a big IF of the IK. They believe in the saying 'make the hay while sun shines'. Who has seen tomorrow? A bird in hand is always better than two in the bush. And, remember, we are all chips of the same block called Pakistan.

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Mar 25, 2017 08:18pm

Won the world cup because of one man and one man alone .. the greatest Javed Miandad !

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Prateik

Mar 25, 2017 08:50pm

Pakistan has yet not produced a captain of Imran's calibre.

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Dr. Salaria, aamir Ahmad

Mar 25, 2017 10:26pm

Imran Khan is 100 percent right. Our domestic cricket is insignificant and on top of that, the entire structure of cricket management in the form of PCB is based on the famous saying as following: Quote You scratch my back, I will scratch yours. Unquote Nevertheless, there is ne dearth of natural talent in the country in any and all fields including the great game of cricket. All we have to do is to polish the talent the right way to win more laurels at global levels in the days to come.

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a. Ali

Mar 25, 2017 11:51pm

@BLithe - I was expecting one to say something on such lines... no, our domestic cricket did not worked in that era... It was Javed, Imran, Akram, Ramiz, A Sohail, S Malik, Ejaz, Moin, Aqib and Mushtaque's exposure to County cricket which made them win that cup...

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J. Gamble

Mar 26, 2017 06:53am

@S -Let us be fair. it is the leadership that counts.

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