PM Imran Khan shares story of winning International Cricketer of the Year prize in 1989

PM uploaded a newspaper clip from 1989 on Instagram, revealing story behind winning a $72,000 car with title

Web Desk

February 16, 2021

Prime Minister Imran Khan speaking during a conference. Photo: Reuters

PM Imran Khan shares a newspaper clip from 1989, revealing the story behind winning the "Cricketer of the Year title" along with a $72,000 car
Article details how Aussie Captain expressed reservations with the award being given to Imran Khan, while Australian press made the premier feel like he "committed a crime by winning the car"
PM wore a T-shirt saying "I'm sorry I won the car" when he went to toss with Border next day and declared the proceedings would go to his cancer hospital in Lahore

Prime Minister Imran Khan has been known among his fans and followers for regularly sharing throwback pictures from his younger days on Instagram.

On Tuesday, however, the premier decided to share a newspaper clip from the year 1989 instead of sharing his personal photographs.

Titled "I'm sorry I won the car," the article detailed how he won a $72,000 Rover car after being declared the International Cricketer of the Year.

The article further detailed that Imran Khan became the first Asian cricketer to win the award since its inception in 1979 as well as the eighth overseas player to take the major prize.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Imran Khan (@imrankhan.pti)

However, Australian captain Allan Border objected to the move, saying that his teammate Dean Jones should have been awarded the titled instead.

"Australia's very nationalistic Press pilloried Imran's choice till the Pakistan captain said in an interview that they had made him feel he had committed a crime in winning the car," it read.

Per the article, when PM Imran Khan went out to toss with Aussie cricketer Allan Border at the MCG for the first of the best of three finals, he wore a specially printed T-shirt saying "I'm sorry I won the car."

When Imran Khan told interviewer Ian Chappell that the proceeds from the $72,000 Rover 827 Vitesse were to be donated to the cancer hospital he was setting up in Lahore at the time, Allan Border's was embarrassed.