WORLD CUP MOMENTS No.17: Imran's tiger t-shirt

You're captaining your country in the World Cup final. When it comes to going out for the toss and doing your duty, what are you wearing?

You're captaining your country in the World Cup final. When it comes to going out for the toss and doing your duty, what are you wearing?

Blazer, proud as punch, neat and tidy, the businessman?

Full kit, shirt in, ready for battle?

"Nah, probably just going with the white tee with a big picture of a tiger on it, I reckon."

Imran rocks up looking like a hipster model preparing for a photoshoot down a graffitied back alley.

Too. Cool.

That was the clobber Khan started to don during the 1992 World Cup.

Having been on the brink of elimination after winning one of their first five matches, and, in the words of the skipper "at the rock bottom in morale", Pakistan spun their fortunes.

In his final World Cup campaign, Khan urged his team to fight like "cornered tigers" ahead of their must-win match against Australia at Perth.

"I want my team to play today like a cornered tiger, you know, when it's at its most dangerous."

And fight they did, defeating the hosts by 48 runs which would light the fuse of Pakistan's tournament journey.

Victory over Sri Lanka at Perth and New Zealand at Christchurch earned them a semi-final match-up against the latter three days later.

A four-wicket triumph at Auckland set up a final against Graham Gooch's England at the MCG, where Khan reiterated his captain's message.

So great was their turnaround, the leader claimed he was not concerned with the final's result as long as his spirited team played in the same fashion.

"That's the motto and they've done a great job. They've played like tigers, especially the younger boys. They haven't been overawed by any situation. If they play like tigers I don't mind if they win or lose today."

In Melbourne, the tiger's roar was heard once more.

Pakistan, on the back of fifties from Imran and Javed Mianded and Wasim Akram's two in two, defied Gooch & Co and completed one of the great comebacks.

And all this, led by Imran in what looked like his favourite pyjama top. A t-shirt, that now, symbolises so much from that moment in Pakistan’s cricketing history.

Subscribe to The Cricketer for exclusive content every day: The inside track on England's Test tour with George Dobell in Pakistan, award-winning analysis, breaking news and interviews and the only place for in-depth county coverage all year round. Plus: An ad-free app experience at your fingertips. Subscribe to thecricketer.com today for just £1.