Cricket star Khan overplays hand in Pakistan power game

Imran Khan (C), chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party, gestures to his supporters during the Freedom March in Islamabad August 16, 2014.REUTERS/Faisal Mahmood

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Cricket hero Imran Khan rode a wave of discontent to finally break through as a serious player in Pakistani politics at last year's election. Now he is aiming even higher, leading thousands on a march to the capital in a bid to unseat the prime minister.

But in taking his campaign to force out Nawaz Sharif on to the streets of Islamabad, Khan may have overplayed his hand. This weekend his crowd of followers was already thinning out, and without overt support from the military his protests are unlikely to be a game-changer.