Former Pakistan cricket captain Imran Khan has a good chance of being his country’s next Prime Minister.
The elections were held yesterday with Imran the leader of the centre-right party Tehreek-e-Insaf.
His main opposition will come from the brother of three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Sharif was arrested on corruption charges last month, and has been campaigning for his brother Shehbaz from behind bars.
Now 65, Imran has enjoyed legendary status at home since 1992 when he led Pakistan to a 22-run success over England to win the 1992 World Cup.
There were wild celebrations in cricket-mad Pakistan that went on for days.
But the Imran Khan I knew in his heyday is a bit different now.
He has abandoned his western ways that emanated from an Oxford education and international cricket to become a devout Muslim. He has been campaigning clad in the traditional immaculate white shalwar hameez clothing.
Always the handsome playboy in his playing days, Imran is now on his third marriage to a faith healer who at one point treated him.
Imran Khan, Photographer: Asad Zaidi/Bloomberg via Getty Images
If he becomes Pakistan’s Prime Minister it will be a first from a former Test cricketer.
Two of the most famous West Indians – Sir Frank Worrell and Sir Wesley Hall – both made it as Senators in Jamaica and Barbados respectively.
Sir Wesley went on to become Minister of Tourism, right up his alley.
Sanath Jayasuriya became a Sri Lankan politician in 2010 before he retired in 2011 after 22 years as a very successful international left-handed opening batsman.
India’s Mohammad Azharuddin was elected to Congress in 2009 after retiring in 2000.
Imran’s chances?
Pundits give him a good shot, but believe he will have to form a coalition to take the top job.
He has been likened to US President Donald Trump, which is an unfortunate comparison – particularly for Imran himself.
Imran rates the President as “ignorant and ungrateful”.
But unless Imran has dramatically changed since his playing days, there’s no way he’d ever be ignorant and ungrateful.
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