With England seemingly in control of the 1992 World Cup Final chase, Wasim Akram dismissed Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis with consecutive balls using devastating reverse swing — the two wickets that sealed Pakistan's first and only World Cup title.
Imran Khan's Pakistan had reached the 1992 World Cup Final at the MCG against England. Imran had declared the tournament as his farewell, playing on despite a shoulder injury, inspiring a young team including Wasim, Waqar Younis, Salim Malik, and Javed Miandad through the power of his personality.
Pakistan made 249/6. England chasing needed 22 off the last 5 overs with Lamb and Lewis at the crease — 4 wickets remaining. Wasim Akram had the ball. The match was in the balance.
Ball to Lamb: inswinging yorker at high pace — it reversed late and hit Lamb's off stump. Middle-order batsman clean bowled. Ball to Lewis: another reverse-swinging delivery — but this one moved away from the left-hander, took the outside edge, and was caught behind. Two wickets in two balls. Wasim had a hat-trick ball.
Delivering Richard Illingworth off the hat-trick ball — a dot. But the damage was done. England needed 22 off 5 overs with only 3 wickets remaining and their two most dangerous hitters gone. Pakistan ran through the tail. England were bowled out for 227. Pakistan won by 22 runs.
Imran Khan raised the trophy at the MCG and wept openly. Pakistan's 'cornered tigers' — his phrase for his team's backs-against-the-wall attitude — had delivered Pakistan's first and only World Cup.
Wasim to Lamb — reverse-swinging yorker, clean bowled
Wasim to Lewis — reverse-swing, caught behind, two wickets in two balls
Imran Khan lifting the World Cup — weeping at the MCG
March 25, 1992
World Cup Final, MCG — Pakistan 249/6
England chase, over 45
England need 22 off 5 overs, Wasim has the ball
Ball 1
Lamb bowled by inswinging yorker — two in two
Ball 2
Lewis caught behind — match effectively over
Match result
Pakistan win by 22 runs — first World Cup title
Pakistan have not won a World Cup since 1992. Imran Khan retired and moved into politics, eventually becoming Prime Minister. Wasim Akram went on to become the greatest left-arm fast bowler in history, taking 916 international wickets.
Two deliveries that won a World Cup. Wasim Akram's reverse swing in the 1992 final is the best two-ball sequence in World Cup history — each delivery unplayable, each arriving when England thought they had the match.
The 1992 World Cup final confirmed that reverse swing — a Pakistani innovation that the rest of the world was still learning — was the most lethal weapon in ODI bowling. Wasim's two-ball sequence is still used in coaching to show what the technique can achieve.
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