‘Pakistan can defeat India in cricket only if…’, Imran Khan suggests

Taking a jibe at Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, jailed former cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan has said that he, along with Army chief Asim Munir, should bat as openers if they want to win a cricket match against India.

Khan's sarcastic comments came after India comfortably defeated Pakistan in two matches in the ongoing Asia Cup.

The former prime minister's sister, Aleema Khan, while talking to reporters on Monday, said Imran suggested that the only way to win a cricket match against India was if Army chief Gen Munir and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Naqvi bat as openers while umpires should be former chief justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan Sikandar Sultan Raja.

The third umpire should be Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar, she added.

Aleema said she had told her brother about the back-to-back defeats of the Pakistan cricket team at the hands of India.

Khan, who led Pakistan to their first and only victory in the ODI World Cup in 1992, blames Naqvi for destroying Pakistani cricket with his “incompetence” and “nepotism”.

The 72-year-old has also long been accusing Gen Munir of stealing the mandate of his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), in the February 2024 general election with the help of then CJP Isa and chief election commissioner Raja.

The PTI founder has been in jail since August 2023 in multiple cases.