'Fight to the last ball': PM Imran gives advice to cricket team on day of World Cup opening match
As Pakistan played their Cricket World Cup opening match against the West Indies on Friday, Prime Minister Imran Khan offered some advice to the men in green.
"My advice to the Pakistan team today is what I would tell my players before a match: Give your 100 percent, fight to the last ball and never let the fear of losing enter your mind, influence your strategy or play," the premier, who is currently on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, said via Twitter. "Pakistan’s prayers and support are with Sarfaraz and the team."
Last month, Prime Minister Imran held a meeting with the national cricket team and the Pakistan Cricket Board at Bani Gala during which he gave the team tips for World Cup success.
"With your skills, sportsman spirit and your conduct, bring glory to Pakistan's name," he had said. "The entire nation's prayers are with you [...] Representing the country at an international forum is a big honour. You are ambassadors of the nation and the people's eyes are on you, and their hopes rest with you."
Read more
Comments (103) Closed
May 31, 2019 04:03pm
Green Shirt in deep Trouble
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:04pm
Pakistan will be at the bottom of the table for sure at the end of league games. They will be beaten by Afghanisthan as well. It's very sad to see Pakistan's performance today against West Indies.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:10pm
Pray also but dark clouds r hovering on our circket team.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:13pm
Advising a bunch of school boys.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:15pm
Pakistan team is right now fighting for last ball.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:19pm
Set to get all out below 100. Good advice.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:20pm
Now look at the result of your advice,........
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:28pm
Pathetic 105 all out! Like everything else in pakistan the wheels have truly fallen off withthis Pak team
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:31pm
They fought bravely for 21 overs. Shameless performance by our cricket team.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:31pm
They didn't even batted till last ball.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:32pm
No advice is needed
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:32pm
and the team is allout for 105
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:35pm
Ever since the regime change, we’ve seen no change. Uff ye Tabdeli.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:36pm
With him at the helm and a hand-picked chairman of the Board, the team was expected to do better.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:37pm
Pakistan all out 105.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:39pm
Boyz played very well
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:39pm
But but but ... we can't even reach the half of the overs!!!
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:40pm
And they start fighting with eachother such shameful moments when your team all out on 105 runs in first match of world cup with west indies
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:43pm
Yeah, very funny advice. You need to keep wickets intact for last ball
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:43pm
Here comes the collapse!
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:44pm
'Fight to the last ball' ---- 'batting collapse' Pakistan are mere 105 all out with 28.2 overs left against West Indies.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:44pm
They already did by scoring 105 against WI....
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:54pm
At least we got over 100 and beat our previous lowest WC total of 74. That is some achievement.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 04:58pm
You did not report IK's full sentence.
He told them to fight till the last bal...of 22nd over.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 05:12pm
Looks like they didnt take your advice..
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 05:31pm
*"Fight to the last ball"*
But first reach the till the last ball.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 05:32pm
Everyone calm down, we have never known Pakistan to start any tournament on a high, why should this one be any different! Back the greens no matter!
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 05:35pm
They have taken advice to the heart
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 05:36pm
Fighting for the last ball in the 20th over
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 05:37pm
Advice well taken. But in the reverse order.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 05:43pm
Some body was reminding that back in 92 Pakistan started similarly by losing to WI by 10 wickets and later went all the way.
Hence proved, that is the strategy
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 05:49pm
Fight to the last ball before you lose. Very wise advice indeed.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 05:50pm
And they scored 100 with 100 percent effort great job
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 05:52pm
The team obviously needs more than just prayers and slogans.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 06:01pm
Imran said "give 100%, team delivered 105%.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 06:05pm
They have taken advice too seriously and fought for survival.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 06:06pm
Really? What were they being told before? Give it up before last ball?
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 06:18pm
Last Ball?, from the first ball they gave up.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 06:21pm
Pakistan made 105 in 50 overs.
Pakistan is no.1 team in T20. I wonder how many runs Pakistan would have made, if it were T20?
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 06:27pm
Awaiting to see the encounter with Kohli and his boys....
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 06:43pm
He forgot to include that it is a 50 over game in his advise.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 06:55pm
PM IK asked the pak team to give 100% and they gave 105.....
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 06:56pm
Except, there was no last ball in this match, it got over before intermission.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:02pm
Did anybody took PM IK's advice?
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:03pm
He should seek NAB help to investigate corrupt cricketers too, and he knows some of his closest friends and fine players of his team and time will be at top of list.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:04pm
@Abbas shah, don’t be disheartened. It was only the first game.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:07pm
All I want is Pak to beat India thats my only wish I know this team is not good enough to win the World cup but victory against India is even bigger then winning the World cup.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:08pm
Right now no one seems to be listening to IK
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:11pm
They should be fighting for their last breath after this performance
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:15pm
@M. Emad, Sir I love you keep up the good work. Haaaaa haa...... Love you my Hindu Indian brother.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:24pm
When Imran Khan told them to give 100, what the need of Extra 5?
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:25pm
But the West Indies did not wait till the last ball..
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:27pm
Mashallah great performance
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:33pm
Are it’s not T-20
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:33pm
Clearly, they all heeded the PM's advice.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:36pm
Imran Khan should resign as PM and become the manager of the Pakistani cricket team, that's the role for him.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:37pm
Imran Khan before match asked team to give 100 % and they gave 105.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:41pm
They did fight till the last ball. The last ball, unfortunately was only the 80th one in a 300-ball West Indies inning. :-0
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:51pm
@Mr. Bean, What advice did the PM give?
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 07:57pm
They don't obey PM
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 08:08pm
All your prayers have gone down the gattar
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 08:42pm
They performed just like your government.
Keep it up Mr IK.
You kept your promise because now everyone is crying cricket team and the whole country under your command.
Thank you
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 08:43pm
But the last ball happened too early ..
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 09:07pm
Work Hard to win
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 09:14pm
Good luck to Pakistan and all teams. I liked IK advice that show your sportsman spirit and good conduct. Same advice to Indian team.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 09:17pm
Team should be allowed to play their game. Undue hype and media attention only will impair the performance.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 09:27pm
where r girls?Can they replace as a special case.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 09:31pm
The advice was to fight until the last ball and not after the last ball.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 09:36pm
PM asked them to give 100 percent. They gave 105.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 09:49pm
they did that today!!
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 09:50pm
Casual dress , casual mindset , casual sportsmen . Why are we surprised with the outcome !!!
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 10:02pm
What was need of this i'll omen
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 10:02pm
They did the last ball came too quickly
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 10:07pm
Fight to the last ball. That is good. But he did not say anything about which last over.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 11:28pm
Please don't fight. Just play it like a game. If you win, the country people will rejoice with you, or if you lose, all you have lost are just a few games. There is no tradition of naming the winner of a cricket series as the prime minister of the country. Once is more than enough.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 11:30pm
Was the match fixed ?
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 11:37pm
I think they followed the advise. Thy fought to the last ball. Unfortunately it was only twnenty two ves.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 11:40pm
To all giving WC'92 reference, Pakistan lost to WI in 2007 WC too. You probably know what happened in that one.
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 11:40pm
He should have specified that last ball of 50 th over!
Recommend
0
May 31, 2019 11:44pm
Removing Najam Sethi was a mistake. PTI Govt should have setup a good example by letting him continue. He had good business sense. During his time , Pakistan won Champions Trophy.
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 12:05am
Too much fanfare, too little cricket
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 12:28am
His advice caused disaster in first match!
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 12:47am
They gave 105%!!!
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 01:03am
He is still stuck in 1992.Instead of advising others he should rather focus on his job where he is failing and country is riling against the establishment
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 01:09am
Great advice but who cares?
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 01:56am
I think they took the Kaptaan's statement "Give your 100 percent, fight to the last ball " incorrectly. They misunderstood it fir "Give your 100 runs".
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 02:03am
We will bounce back inshallah.
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 02:39am
Rameez to Jason: Whatvwere the positives of the match
Jason: We batted, fielded and bowled very well.
Rameez to Sarfaraz: And what about you?
Sarfaraz: My answer is also same, no change
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 03:28am
Arrogant and unsportmanlike WI team refused to co-operate and finished both innings prematurely
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 03:36am
The IK has miserably failed in improving governance in PCB. Ik has closed his eyes when it comes to nepotism, reference and favouritism in selection. Merit has been murdered by selection committee headed by inzamam and there is silent endorsement by IK.
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 03:38am
Bunch of school boys did do there home work????
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 04:16am
@Rajesh, What are you so 'cocky' about?? Wait until you get a thrashing soon!!!
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 04:47am
@Sab Se Pehle Pakistan, still they are brave
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 05:32am
@Shahed,
Yes, West Pakistan decided to lose to the West Indians
After all, West West bhai bhai
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 06:39am
I think they heard the PM's message, the performance against West Indies confirms it. Imran and his PTI team also need to improve their performance.
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 07:18am
@Sam, I think we must remind the boys that it’s a one day match and not T20
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 07:20am
@topbrass, but this time they do not have likes of Ik or Javid M
I think only Ik can help us lift the trophy!
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 07:29am
Play till the last Ball of the over!
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 07:36am
He is out of touch with reality, still giving 1992 speeches. Such an embarrassment
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 08:01am
Why? When half way through the game you know you have fairly and squarely lost it.
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 09:30am
And they couldn’t even lasted for last ball
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 10:21am
Nawaz and Sharif are to blame
Recommend
0
Jun 01, 2019 08:09pm
Why we should wait for last ball if?
Recommend
0
