In 28 World Cup matches spanning five tournaments, Imran notched up 666 runs at 35 per match and picked up 34 wickets at a measly 19 runs per wicket. None of these stats, however, do justice to what he contributed to Pakistan's World Cup campaigns.

Pakistan teams have always been accepted as a talented bunch but never as a team that could win consistently. Too often they have been brilliant on a day and frustratingly poor the next. His career hardly began with a bang and he almost never came back after his first series against England as an 18-year-old in 1971. But over the next few years, he went on to captain Oxford and performances there saw him eventually make his way back slowly. He was part of Pakistan's first World Cup campaign in 1975, but played in only two matches scoring 9 and 0 and picking up 2/44 and 3/15.

By the time the next World Cup came around, he had been in and out of the team and also involved in Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket. Many believe that his involvement in 'Pajama Cricket' is what led to his improvement as a cricketer. The opportunity to play with some of the best in the world and hone his skills under them brought out the best in him. Interestingly, many also believed that he was a better batsman than a bowler! Like his 1975 performance, his 1979 efforts were largely forgettable with scores of 15*, 21* and 6 and bowling figures of 1/27, 2/29, 1/24 and 1/43. Contrary to beliefs, he bowled better than he batted!

By the 1983 campaign, he was captain of Pakistan for over a year and had tasted success. As had been the case during his stint at Oxford, he came to the fore as a leader and player. He did not bowl through the 1983 World Cup and by this time, most were convinced that he has become a frontline batsman. Powered by two half-centuries and hundred, Imran scored 283 runs in seven matches at 70.75 per match. Pakistan won three matches in the league stages, but eventually lost the semi-final to the West Indies. A potential India-Pakistan World Cup final was lost!

One of the things about Imran as captain is that he believed in leading from the front by example. He wasn't one of the old-school thinkers who thought captains were more strategic planners than 'players'. His performances turned a lesser talented Pakistan (compared to the 1970s and 1990s) into a formidable team.

Playing at home in 1987 offered more chances to Imran and it brought about a second semi-final appearance in as many tournaments for him. This time, though, Imran was more the leader than the player. As a player, he managed only 147 runs in seven matches with a top score of 58 in the semi-final against Australia. He did better as a bowler, though, picking up 17 wickets at just 13.05 per wicket. Pakistan were favourites to win the game against a resurgent Australian team, but fell short by 18 runs in end. A brilliant partnership of 112 between him and Javed Miandad was not enough to see them through in the end.

Soon after the World Cup, Imran Khan announced his retirement from international cricket, much to the shock of many. But at the personal request of the Pakistan President, General Zia-Ul-Haq, he returned to international cricket to give Pakistan's dream of the World Cup one last shot.

And this would bring about Imran's finest hour in the 1992 World Cup in which he led his team of "cornered tigers" to victory. Like previous World Cups, Pakistan was a talented bunch in 1992 also, but Imran brought this bunch together and moulded them into a team that could win consistently. Considering this was a World Cup Imran would have never played, the results were outstanding!

The innovations that came about in this World Cup played a great part in Pakistan's triumph. Although they were plagued with injury, they had enough firepower to make good use of two new balls (one from each end) during the mostly day/night matches. Pakistan started disastrously losing by 10 wickets to the West Indies but came back strongly to win by 53 runs against Zimbabwe. That they would play eight matches in the round-robin format before the semi-finalists were determined allowed for greater 'corrective measures' or reassessment during the tournament. And Pakistan did this well. In the second half of the first round, they came back roaring but have a rain cancellation to thank for their progress…

A loss to India, followed by wins over South Africa (20 runs), Australia (48 runs), Sri Lanka (4 wickets) and New Zealand (7 wickets) put them into the semi-finals. But this would not have been enough had they not been helped by rain against England. One of just two abandoned matches during the tournament, Pakistan had been skittled out for a paltry 74 and England were well on their way to victory at 24 for 1 in 8 overs when the heavens opened up. A point that they were gifted in the match proved to be the difference as they edged out Australia by a point. Had their match against England been decided, they would have lost out on the basis of run-rate. Interestingly, Imran was not playing in this match and Miandad was captain.

But by the time they made the semi-final, the momentum was truly with them. New Zealand had lost only one match in the World Cup till this point and that too, was against Pakistan. Come the semis, and Imran had found his form again. His 44, apart from Inzamam ul-Haq's blistering 60 late in the innings set up the match. Both triumphs weren't without proper planning, though. "We used to sit for hours and do our planning. I asked Wasim Akram to attack irrespective of the runs he would concede, and did the same with Mushtaq Ahmed and Aqib Javed," said Imran speaking about the two wins.

Pakistan was in their first ever World Cup final. Imran won the toss in the final against England and truly led from the front. A commanding 72 along with Miandad's 58 and Inzamam's 42 saw Pakistan post a challenging 249 for 6. But this wasn't a winning score… not until some inspired captaincy and brilliant bowling by Wasim and Mushtaq Ahmed saw them through. Imran had written the most memorable chapter in Pakistan cricket's history.

Imran, though, rates this one of the three best results for Pakistan cricket. "I would reckon our series against the West Indies in 1988, although it was a 1-1 draw, and winning against a formidable Indian team in India on a par with the 1992 World Cup win."

Post the win, former team-mates complained that Imran took too much of the credit for the team's triumph. But most agree that it wasn't totally undue. After all, it was his leadership skills and batting that shone in this campaign more than his famed bowling.

But there were statements he made right after the 1992 win and some much later that still earn him the ire of many former team-mates and the Pakistan fans alike. "…we had new players like Aamir Sohail, Inzamam-ul-Haq and others like Iqbal Sikander and Waseem Haider, who were never heard of before or after the Cup," he is quoted to have said. Pakistan had lost their pace spearhead Waqar Younis and star batsman Saeed Anwar to injury just before the tournament and such statements hardly do justice to their efforts.

After everything has been said, done and written, though, what remains is the fact that Imran was arguably the greatest Pakistan cricketer of all time. And he has a trophy to prove it!

PHOTO © AP