Imran Khan and Mushtaq Mohammad displayed the different standards of Pakistani cricket in October 1978. It’s Lahore—the second Test against India—just nine months after the Pakistan Board had categorically rejected any moves to select the Kerry Packer men for the game against England at Karachi. In a statement bristling with righteous indignation, the board talked disparagingly about Kerry Packer, who had shown complete disregard to the entire cricket establishment’.
The principle that Kerry Packer players should remain outside the Test fold was strongly underlined in January 1978. But there followed a disastrous tour of England by their weakened side, and, to no one’s astonishment, seven Packer players were back in the team for the prestigious series against India. Mushtaq Muhammad was made captain, and he and Imran Khan showed their feelings for the established order by wearing shirts carrying the World Series Cricket logo.
Although Mushtaq Muhammad compromised by sporting a hat topped off by the official Pakistan symbol, the clash of ideals did not matter to either the board or their players; Pakistan won the Lahore Test by eight wickets, and what could be more important to them than beating India?
