From cricketer, to playboy to Taliban Khan

Islamabad: If Imran Khan, Pakistan’s could-be-Prime Minister is sworn-in as the country’s 19th PM, his transformation from an international cricketing star and playboy to a right-wing leader who is at times referred to as “Taliban Khan” would be complete.

Mr Khan, who has allegedly fathered at least one illegitimate child — Tyran — with the late Sita White, gained the reputation of a playboy during his sporting career. For a long time, he remained an eligible bachelor whom almost every Pakistani, and Indian, girl wanted to marry.

Eventually, at the age of 42, he married British heiress Jemima Khan in 1995, a year before he founded his political party, the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) that became the single largest party in Wednesday’s polls to stake claim at forming the government. They had two children but divorced in 2004.

His second marriage to journalist Reham Khan lasted 10 months before he reportedly “divorced her by text message” in 2015. In February this year, he married for the third time — Bushra Maneka, a faith healer who treated him — but there were reports that they were fighting over his pet dogs.

These elections, which saw millions of people vote in a poll that could drastically change the political landscape of the country, was also the last chance Mr Khan had at becoming Pakistan’s Prime Minister.

In the run-up to the historic elections — this was the second time a civilian government was handing over power to another since the country became independent in 1947.

The 65-year-old cricket legend won on three parliamentary seats in 2013 elections and tasted defeat in one constituency. His party won 35 seats, coming third after after PML-N (166) and PPP (42). But in terms of voting percentage, his party was second. Thereafter, PTI, under Imran’s leadership, played pivotal Opposition role and launched various protests against Nawaz Sharif-led government. It made corruption its key issue.

Hailed as a hero for his sporting prowess since Mr Khan captained his team to victory in the 1992 cricket World Cup — an achievement that saw the entire country erupt in celebrations of a magnitude rarely seen in Pakistan — his encouragement to the team that they fight like “cornered tigers” that year has seen the phrase enter sporting mythology.  

He went on to lead the team to victory against India several times. Despite his cricket career being well in his past, the hashtag #behindyouskipper is one of the highest trending hashtags on social media in Pakistan, attracting messages of support from former international superstars, including Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. Some years into politics, Mr Khan started to defend the Taliban, earning him the nickname “Taliban Khan”.