Imran Khan Was Behind The Removal of Javed Miandad From Pakistan Team In 1993: Basit Ali

It is fair to say that Pakistan cricket team of the late 1980s and 1990s was one of the most revered sides in world cricket. Brimming with upcoming talents like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Basit Ali and champion cricketers like Javed Miandad, the team had almost all departments covered, and sky was the limit for the Men in Green. But, thanks to a plethora of factors which includes fighting among teammates, lack of leadership following the retirement of all-rounder Imran Khan and the eventual match-fixing saga, the team never really achieved its true potential.

Former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali has now come up with sensational claims, revealing how and at whose behest, Javed Miandad, one of Pakistan’s greatest ever players was ousted from the team back in 1993.

According to Basit Ali, it was none other than Imran Khan, the 1992 World Cup-winning captain and the current Prime Minister of Pakistan, who was behind the removal of Miandad from the team in 1993. Ali, who played 19 Tests and 50 ODIs for Pakistan between 1993 and 1996, was often compared to the great Javed Miandad but he alleged that the comparison was part of a bigger conspiracy to remove Miandad and he was just a pawn in the whole saga.

“There was a conspiracy to remove Javed Miandad from the team (round 1993). That’s why I was compared with. Honestly, I was not even one percent of what Miandad was. I used to bat at number 4 and when Miandad was removed, they shifted me to number 6. At number 4 , I used to average 55 and after they shifted me to 6, my performance went down. They knew that at that position, I would hardly ever get to bat. They gave me slow poison,” Basit Ali told Times of India.

“I was really passionate about my game. I used to go for big shots and get out. My batting hardly used to come,” he added.

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Javed Miandad wasn’t a part of the initial 1996 World Cup squad: Basit Ali

Basit Ali, when asked who asked him to drop down to No.6, said it was captain Wasim Akram, who used to take orders from Imran Khan, and that was precisely the reason why the team revolted against the former fast bowler in 1993.

Javed Miandad was dropped from the side in 1993 and according to Basit, he wasn’t in the initial squad for the 1996 World Cup squad. But, Miandad, who had represented Pakistan in five World Cups previously wanted to create a record of featuring in six quadrennial events and for that he requested the team to let him come back in the squad. Basit revealed that when Miandad asked that which player was willing to give him his place, he came forward to sacrifice as he used to respect the legendary batsman a lot.

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