After severe backlash, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) late on Wednesday night posted what it called the “complete version of the video” that was aimed at being part of the campaign leading up to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. This version now features 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan holding the trophy along with another shot of his innings in the final.
In a post on the microblogging website X - formerly known as Twitter - the cricket board said the previous video – now deleted – was “abridged” due to its length.
“The PCB has launched a promotional campaign leading up to the CWC 2023. One of the videos was uploaded on 14th August 2023. Due to its length, the video was abridged, and some important clips were missing,” the PCB said, referring to the video that did not feature Imran even though shots of the 1992 World Cup were part of the package.
The PCB added that the mistake had been rectified in the complete version of the video, which includes at least four shots of the former prime minister.
Besides Imran, the new video also includes other important events such as Misbah-ul-Haq winning the Test mace, the women’s team winning the Asian Games, and Nida Dar reaching 100 wickets.
Originally posted on August 14, the now-deleted video included 11 images from the 1992 World Cup archives, but none featured World Cup-winning captain Imran, currently serving a jail term in the Toshakhana case.
It was immediately criticised by fans who blamed the PCB for acceding to the country’s governing alliance’s “political agenda” and failing to include the World Cup-winning captain despite including video clips from the team’s triumph at the 1992 global tournament.
Earlier, former captain and legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram, who played in Imran’s captaincy and sees him as his mentor, lashed out at the PCB, demanding the cricket board delete the video and apologise.
Pakistan cricket historian and journalist Osman Samiuddin said it must have taken “some effort” to make such a video without the “greatest Pakistani cricketer ever”.
British broadcaster and writer Peter Oborne had termed the attempt to “airbrush” Imran from the history of Pakistan cricket “Stalinist”.
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