Imran Khan must rein in Pakistan military

It is not uncommon for athletes to enter politics as many of the skills needed to succeed in sport apply to government. Both codes need leadership, charisma, motivation, competitiveness, an ability to perform under pressure and the willingness to be part of a team.

The celebrated former Pakistani cricket player, Imran Khan, has all of the above in abundance so it is little surprise that he is about to become his nation’s prime minister. He is not alone in switching arenas.

Homegrown examples include former taoiseach the late Jack Lynch, and former tánaiste Dick Spring.

It will take more than charisma for Khan to match his sporting success when, as captain, he transformed an

indisciplined Pakistani cricket team into world beaters.

Can he match the success of George Weah, the former Liberian soccer player who was African, European, and World Player of the Year in 1995? He was instrumental in bringing to an end a long civil war and is now his nation’s president. Or that of Lynch, the illustrious sportsman who led Fianna Fáil to unprecedented success and was a key architect in the modernisation of the economy?

Khan’s major challenge will be to face down and rein in Pakistan’s powerful military. It remains to be seen whether he can reform his country’s politics like he changed his country’s cricket.