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Imran Khan (Cricketer) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth5 October 1952

Age72 Years

BirthplaceLahore, Punjab, Pakistan

ProfessionPolitician and Former Pakistani Cricketer

NationalityPakistani

Marital statusMarried

SpouseBushra Maneka (current), Reham Khan (2015; div. 2015), Jemima Goldsmith (1995; div. 2004)

FamilyFather: Ikramullah Khan Niazi; Mother: Shaukat Khanum; Children: Sulaiman Isa Khan, Kasim Khan, Tyrian White

Imran Khan (Cricketer) Biography

Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi is a former Pakistani fast bowler and all‑rounder who captained Pakistan to its only Cricket World Cup win in 1992. After an eminent

Early life and background

Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi was born on 5 October 1952 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Raised in an upper‑middle‑class household, he grew up in Mianwali with his four sisters. His father, Ikramullah Khan Niazi, worked as a civil engineer and his mother was Shaukat Khanum.

Imran’s schooling combined institutions in Pakistan and England. He attended Aitchison College in Lahore and the Royal Grammar School in Worcester, where his cricketing education began. He later studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Keble College, Oxford, graduating with honours in 1975. During his youth he suffered a broken left arm while climbing a tree, and he made his first‑class debut at 16.

Cricket career

Imran Khan emerged as Pakistan’s leading genuine fast bowler and one of the era’s top all‑rounders. He made his Test debut against England on 3 June 1971 at Edgbaston and his One Day International debut on 31 August 1974 at Trent Bridge. Although his Test appearances were intermittent early on — he had to wait three years between his first and second Tests — he established himself as a regular and influential player for Pakistan.

On the field Imran was known for aggressive play, a right‑handed batting stance and right‑arm fast bowling that included an effective in‑dipper. He developed a reputation for pace and skill, finishing third in a noted speed test in Perth in 1978 behind Jeff Thomson and Michael Holding. In the 1981–82 series against Australia he surpassed Fazal Mahmood’s record to become Pakistan’s leading wicket‑taker at the time.

Imran spent time with domestic sides including Lahore, Sussex and New South Wales. He was compared with contemporaries such as Ian Botham, Kapil Dev and Richard Hadlee for his all‑round contributions. He announced retirement after the 1987 World Cup but returned to international leadership at the request of Pakistan’s then ruler, and he ultimately captained Pakistan to victory in the 1992 Cricket World Cup — the nation’s first and only World Cup title to date.

He played his final Test on 2 January 1992 against Sri Lanka at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad and his last ODI on 25 March 1992 against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Awards and recognition

Over the course of his cricketing life and beyond, Imran received significant honours. In 1983 he was named a Wisden Cricketer, and in 1992 he was awarded the Hilal‑e‑Imtiaz, Pakistan’s second highest civilian award. He received the Pride of Performance in 1993 and later lifetime and humanitarian honours, including recognition from the ICC and induction into the ICC Hall of Fame.

Political career

After his playing days, Imran entered politics and founded Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf (PTI) in 1996. He contested multiple general elections over the following decades. He won a National Assembly seat in 2002 from Mianwali and led PTI to become a major political force by 2013, when the party emerged as the second largest in the general election and Imran became its parliamentary leader.

In the 2018 general election he contested and won seats from NA‑95 Mianwali and NA‑53 Islamabad, and on 18 August 2018 he became Pakistan’s 22nd Prime Minister. His premiership ended when he lost a no‑confidence vote in the National Assembly on 10 April 2022.

Public profile

Imran’s public life has been high profile and sometimes polarizing. He has been involved in legal and political controversies that received wide coverage, including disputes over gifts recorded in public accounts, court cases connected to his political activities, and criminal proceedings with sentences reported in various years. He has also been a prominent public figure for philanthropic work and as a former sporting icon.

Personal life

Imran has been married three times. His first marriage was to Jemima Goldsmith in 1995; they divorced in 2004. He subsequently married Reham Khan in 2015 and later married Bushra Maneka in February 2018. He has children from relationships including sons Sulaiman Isa Khan and Kasim Khan, and a daughter, Tyrian White, from an earlier relationship. Imran’s hobbies include listening to music, watching films and travelling. He is a non‑vegetarian and has been associated with a preference for roasted desi chicken.

Latest updates

The record lists a number of legal developments and court decisions affecting Imran in the 2020s, including disqualification from public office in 2022 related to disclosures about state gifts and subsequent criminal proceedings. Multiple sentences and acquittals in different cases are noted through 2024. He has remained an active and central figure in Pakistan’s political life during these events.
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Recent Work

Prime Minister of Pakistan

Served as the 22nd Prime Minister after winning seats in the 2018 general election; removed following a no‑confidence vote in April 2022.

2018-2022
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Career Highlights

  1. Captained Pakistan to its first and only Cricket World Cup win (1992)
  2. Named Wisden Cricketer (1983)
  3. Awarded Hilal‑e‑Imtiaz (1992) and Pride of Performance (1993)
  4. Founded Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf (PTI) in 1996
  5. Served as 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan (2018–2022)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Imran Khan (Cricketer) born?

5 October 1952

What is Imran Khan (Cricketer) known for?

Politician and Former Pakistani Cricketer

What is Imran Khan (Cricketer)’s marital status?

Married

Who is Imran Khan (Cricketer) married to?

Bushra Maneka (current), Reham Khan (2015; div. 2015), Jemima Goldsmith (1995; div. 2004)