The Melbourne Cricket Ground is a cricketing venue that is lavished in history and has seen some fantastic performances from the world's greatest cricketers over the years. The MCG is also a venue that will forever have a special place in Pakistani hearts, as this was the venue that gave Pakistani cricket undoubtedly its finest moment.

by Saj Sadiq

25th December 2009

The Melbourne Cricket Ground is a cricketing venue that is lavished in history and has seen some fantastic performances from the world's greatest cricketers over the years.

The MCG is also a venue that will forever have a special place in Pakistani hearts, as this was the venue that gave Pakistani cricket undoubtedly its finest moment.

On 25th March 1992 and in front of over 87,000 fans, most of whom seemed to be supporting Pakistan and led by the inspirational Imran Khan, Pakistan defeated England by 22 runs.

It capped an amazing tournament for Pakistan who were quite simply outplayed in their early matches in the tournament, but then raised their game to levels that were at times quite simply breathtaking.

As Pakistan's class of 2009 prepares for the Boxing Day clash at the MCG against Australia, PakPassion caught up with one of Imran's Cornered Tigers from 1992 and asked him about his memories of the MCG and 1992.

Moin Khan is someone who epitomised the spirit of the Cornered Tigers of 1992 and a player who didn't mind having a word or two of advice for the opposition. He was throughout his career, a player who didnt believe in lost causes and the World Cup final of 1992 was an occasion where he was at his best taking 3 catches and an excellent take to run out Philip DeFreitas from a Saleem Malik throw.

"It was such a special day and the eleven players, backroom staff and other squad members were the luckiest people in Pakistan to have been part of that fantastic occasion".

"The crowd was just amazing, the atmosphere was simply electric and it worked in our favour that we were playing against England, because the Australian fans were supporting Pakistan too".

"The final at the MCG was a culmination of a complete turnaround in that tournament. Imran Khan held a meeting with us all before the do or die game against Australia at Perth and we were an inspired team during that match and for the remainder of the tournament. To beat Australia at the WACA was a huge achievment and after that victory we never looked back".

"I had been in the Pakistan team for a couple of years prior to the World Cup final, but nonetheless I was nervous on the day of the final. It was only natural that we would all be nervous as it was such a huge occasion. I recall Imran sat all of the team around in the dressing room prior to him walking out for the toss. He looked us all in the eye and asked every one of us for our thoughts in the pre match meeting. It was an inspired move by Imran as it made all the players feel wanted and it made us all realise that our thoughts and ideas were being listened to and considered by the captain and the rest of the team".

"Once the pre match meeting was over, you could see the confidence in the players and a lot of the tension was released".

"The match itself of course went really well and the gameplan worked, with even the likes of Ijaz Ahmed contributing with 3 tidy overs and Imran himself who wasn't fully fit duly picking up the final wicket".

"It was quite simply the most memorable day of my life".