Daily Times

LAHORE: Present and past members of the Pakistan national cricket teams on Thursday joined to celebrate one of the most iconic and memorable moments in country’s cricket history – a 22-run victory over England in the final of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in front of more than 89,000 spectators at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. While Misbahul Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Nida Dar, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Younis Khan reflected on the impact of Melbourne win on their careers, members of the 1992 side Aamer Sohail, Aqib Javed and Mushtaq Ahmed shared their experiences and the champions mind-set with current members of the national teams. The World Cup victory was the catalyst for future triumphs, including back-to-back ICC U19 Cricket World Cup titles in 2004 and 2006, ICC T20 World Cup 2009 trophy, lifting of the ICC Test Championship mace in 2016 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 victory at The Oval. When Pakistan won the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, it became only the second country after India to win all four ICC Majors – World Cup, T20 World Cup, Champions Trophy and ICC Test Championship mace.

Younis Khan, who was 14 years old in 1992 and subsequently became the second Pakistan captain to win a major ICC event in 2009 before finishing as the most successful Test batsman, said: “The final of the 1992 World Cup is the only match of which I watched every ball. It was the month of Ramadan and I did not move from where I was sitting, even for Iftar . I remember every ball of that match and it inspired me to win a trophy for my country and luckily Pakistan won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup under my captaincy in 2009. The 1992 World Cup victory changed the landscape of Pakistan’s cricket and after that we dominated the 90s.” Misbah, who was then 17 years old and 24 years later lifted the ICC Test Championship mace, said: “It was an important milestone in our cricketing history and I remember that match. I was in FSc. We had to get up early in the morning to watch the matches and I have special memories of that event.”

Sarfaraz, who was then a five-year-old but captained Pakistan to ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2006 and ICC Champions Trophy 2017 titles, said: “I was five when Pakistan won the World Cup and it is one of those moments which stay with you from the childhood. I started to play cricket after that win.” Hafeez, a school-going 11-year-old in 1992 who went on to represent Pakistan in ICC events and was a member of the side that won the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, said: “It remains a moment of great pride for every Pakistani and it influenced me into becoming a cricketer. I was only 11, such events inspire you as a kid and I salute those heroes who inspired me to take up the game.” Meanwhile, members of the champion squad – Aamer, Aqib and Mushtaq Ahmed – held mentoring sessions with the current crop of cricketers to provide insights about the successful journey. They furthered shared their thoughts on what it takes to develop a champion mind-set.