How the 4 great All-Rounders of the 80's fared against one another

#2 Imran Khan and Ian Botham

Imran has better numbers to show than Botham

Two towering characters, who were rivals not only on the field but off it as well since their most famous (and fractious) confrontation came when Botham and Allan Lamb filed a libel case against Khan, claiming that in an interview with India Today, Khan had called them racist, not properly educated and of an inferior social standing. Imran was eventually awarded the case in a hearing on Aug 1996.

The story is no different on the field as well as Imran emerges the clear victor in both departments.

Khan and Botham played against each other in eight tests, all of which were played in England in 1982 and 1987.

And England is a place where Imran feels most at home, having plied his trade for many years in the county circuit with Worcestershire and Sussex.

Imran appears to be the clear winner

Khan averages 50.4 with the bat, compared to Botham's 30.4, and 20.1 with the ball as against Botham's 36.4, who was a mere shadow of himself in 1987, having peaked very early in his career.

But Khan had no problems whatsoever, for it was during the 1987 series that he became the first Pakistani bowler to take 300 test wickets, and he capped it off nicely with a century (118) at the Oval in the 5th test.

Botham, nevertheless, dismissed Khan two times during the eight tests, whereas Imran dislodged him only once.