My Stani Army Journey - A thread!

1. My, @PakCricket_, Pakistan cricket journey started from birth after I was named Imran after my fathers favourite cricketer, Imran Khan. From the point I remember my childhood, cricket was a huge part of it.

2. Watching whatever we could on TV, listening to the radio and playing in the garden my life revolved around the game. Imagining myself hitting a 100 or getting a 5for for Pakistan whilst in my garden was normal. I was obsessed.

3. The first time I went to a game was in 1992. We went to the Lord's Test final day. Witnessing Wasim & Waqar win the match with the bat still lives with me forever. I went to plenty of games with my father after that in 96, 99.

(Me responding to Pakistan Zindabad)

4. I started to go solely from 2000 onwards. For the next decade going to games or watching on TV was normal. We was over the radio or VCR highlights being posted from Pakistan part.

(Younger me)

5. In 2010 I went to Birmingham for the 2 T20's V Australia. Wonderful atmosphere. A T20 v Essex which was fantastic. Also was at Lord's on my birthday... A day that changed everything.

6. I had pre booked the ODI at the Oval. I took my uncle who was visiting from Pakistan to his first ever game. Umar Gul's fine performance won it. Sitting behind Gul's end was a incredible experience.

(Me before and after the game).

7. That was 17th September 2010, exactly 10 years today. It was the first time that I felt uncomfortable at a cricket ground. Players getting called names, us fans getting called names. That was the day I felt we needed a change.

8. I never knew how this will happen. I didn't know which way to turn but knew a change was necessary. Later that year I met @tabrezjanjua. He had already co-founded Stani Army (in 2009) and was working on growing the group. The ideas started to come through.

9. As time went by we started to work on things. Loads of different ways to expand the struggle to get the name out continued. Then came in the CT13 and we finally heard the name being chanted. We knew we had finally started to get there.

10. That tournament wasn't the greatest for the team but helped us build our name. Though wasn't helped with cricinfo and Firdose Moonda accusing us of booing skipper Misbah, when the truth is in the picture.

(Me with @MQazi_ & @tabrezjanjua)

11. We kept working building the name. Loads of charity events, attending cricket related events and attending games continued but time restraints because of day to day life always meant things were restricted. Work behind the scenes always goes unnoticed.

12. We have had many highlights since with the CT17 and WC19 being my personal highlights. Going to games, making new friends and most importantly showing the world what being a Pakistani is about.

13. What makes us different from others we don't do membership. We believe that if you are a Pakistan fan you're apart of the group. We all carry the country's pride in every action we do.

14. We can constructively be critical of what we believe but once a XI goes out we always back it fully. We are a group of fans, made for fans.

15. On the 10th anniversary of the Oval ODI, I would like to present to you - #Pakistans12thMan. There is 11 on that ground and it's our job to be the 12th.

16. Let's make a promise today, whereever we are in the world, we will always support our team. We all will will be the 12th man.

#Pakistans12thMan

17. Thank you for reading my story. As promised I have three prizes and the randomly selected winners are -
@JawedUrooj
@MusamaKhattak
@MrCoolger

Congratulations, you will all be contacted via DM.

#Pakistans12thMan