MELBOURNE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja disclosed that he reiterated the exact words of former captain Imran Khan’s ‘shortest speech’ ahead of the 1992 World Cup final and advised the Green Shirts to give their best shot in the T20 World Cup final on Sunday.
Ramiz, who was also a part of the 1992 World Cup winning side, told the reporters on Friday that he met with the team and gave them a reference to that historic final at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) three decades ago.
“That was the shortest speech,” said Ramiz about Imran’s chat with the team before 1992 final. “Because what you are supposed to do has been done. Your technique cannot improve or decay in the next 24 hours. It is a mental game now.”
Ramiz revealed that Imran just asked the team members to step out, enjoy and win the match. “I exactly repeated the words that our captain Imran Khan said to us at that time,” he added.
Talking about the similarities between the 1992 World Cup and the present T20 megaevent, the chairman PCB said that it will be a ‘dream come true’ for him if Pakistan lifts the World Cup on Sunday.
He further went on to say that the Pakistan cricket team were playing as a unit and the players were not taking any kind of pressure.
“Boys are relaxed. They are playing tennis ball cricket inside, bowling bouncers to each and having chit-chats. So they look relaxed and this is how they should be” he stated.
Expressing his opinion on Babar Azam’s leadership skills, Ramiz claimed that it was beyond recognition and that he certainly had the potential to achieve greatness.
“I’ve just told him (Babar) that he has the opportunity right now to achieve greatness and leave behind a legacy. If he lifts the World Cup, nothing could be bigger than that in his career” he said.
It is pertinent to mention here that Babar-led Pakistan will face England in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 final on Sunday at the iconic MCG which has a capacity of approximately 90,000 spectators.
READ: Southgate names 26-man England squad for Qatar World Cup
