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'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."
Comments (103) Closed
Green Shirt in deep Trouble
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.
Pray also but dark clouds r hovering on our circket team.
Advising a bunch of school boys.
Pakistan team is right now fighting for last ball.
Set to get all out below 100. Good advice.
Now look at the result of your advice,........
Pathetic 105 all out! Like everything else in pakistan the wheels have truly fallen off withthis Pak team
They fought bravely for 21 overs. Shameless performance by our cricket team.
They didn't even batted till last ball.
No advice is needed
and the team is allout for 105
Ever since the regime change, we’ve seen no change. Uff ye Tabdeli.
With him at the helm and a hand-picked chairman of the Board, the team was expected to do better.
Pakistan all out 105.
Boyz played very well
But but but ... we can't even reach the half of the overs!!!
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
Yeah, very funny advice. You need to keep wickets intact for last ball
Here comes the collapse!
'Fight to the last ball' ---- 'batting collapse' Pakistan are mere 105 all out with 28.2 overs left against West Indies.
They already did by scoring 105 against WI....
At least we got over 100 and beat our previous lowest WC total of 74. That is some achievement.
You did not report IK's full sentence. He told them to fight till the last bal...of 22nd over.
Looks like they didnt take your advice..
"Fight to the last ball" But first reach the till the last ball.
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!
They have taken advice to the heart
Fighting for the last ball in the 20th over
Advice well taken. But in the reverse order.
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
Fight to the last ball before you lose. Very wise advice indeed.
And they scored 100 with 100 percent effort great job
The team obviously needs more than just prayers and slogans.
Imran said "give 100%, team delivered 105%.
They have taken advice too seriously and fought for survival.
Really? What were they being told before? Give it up before last ball?
Last Ball?, from the first ball they gave up.
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?
Awaiting to see the encounter with Kohli and his boys....
He forgot to include that it is a 50 over game in his advise.
PM IK asked the pak team to give 100% and they gave 105.....
Except, there was no last ball in this match, it got over before intermission.
Did anybody took PM IK's advice?
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.
@Abbas shah, don’t be disheartened. It was only the first game.
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.
Right now no one seems to be listening to IK
They should be fighting for their last breath after this performance
@M. Emad, Sir I love you keep up the good work. Haaaaa haa...... Love you my Hindu Indian brother.
When Imran Khan told them to give 100, what the need of Extra 5?
But the West Indies did not wait till the last ball..
Mashallah great performance
Are it’s not T-20
Clearly, they all heeded the PM's advice.
Imran Khan should resign as PM and become the manager of the Pakistani cricket team, that's the role for him.
Imran Khan before match asked team to give 100 % and they gave 105.
They did fight till the last ball. The last ball, unfortunately was only the 80th one in a 300-ball West Indies inning. :-0
@Mr. Bean, What advice did the PM give?
They don't obey PM
All your prayers have gone down the gattar
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
But the last ball happened too early ..
Work Hard to win
Good luck to Pakistan and all teams. I liked IK advice that show your sportsman spirit and good conduct. Same advice to Indian team.
Team should be allowed to play their game. Undue hype and media attention only will impair the performance.
where r girls?Can they replace as a special case.
The advice was to fight until the last ball and not after the last ball.
PM asked them to give 100 percent. They gave 105.
they did that today!!
Casual dress , casual mindset , casual sportsmen . Why are we surprised with the outcome !!!
What was need of this i'll omen
They did the last ball came too quickly
Fight to the last ball. That is good. But he did not say anything about which last over.
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.
Was the match fixed ?
I think they followed the advise. Thy fought to the last ball. Unfortunately it was only twnenty two ves.
To all giving WC'92 reference, Pakistan lost to WI in 2007 WC too. You probably know what happened in that one.
He should have specified that last ball of 50 th over!
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.
Too much fanfare, too little cricket
His advice caused disaster in first match!
They gave 105%!!!
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
Great advice but who cares?
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".
We will bounce back inshallah.
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
Arrogant and unsportmanlike WI team refused to co-operate and finished both innings prematurely
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.
Bunch of school boys did do there home work????
@Rajesh, What are you so 'cocky' about?? Wait until you get a thrashing soon!!!
@Sab Se Pehle Pakistan, still they are brave
@Shahed,
Yes, West Pakistan decided to lose to the West Indians
After all, West West bhai bhai
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.
@Sam, I think we must remind the boys that it’s a one day match and not T20
@topbrass, but this time they do not have likes of Ik or Javid M I think only Ik can help us lift the trophy!
Play till the last Ball of the over!
He is out of touch with reality, still giving 1992 speeches. Such an embarrassment
Why? When half way through the game you know you have fairly and squarely lost it.
And they couldn’t even lasted for last ball
Nawaz and Sharif are to blame
Why we should wait for last ball if?