KARACHI: In an urgent move for Pakistan’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, Imam-ul-Haq has been called up to replace the injured Fakhar Zaman. Fakhar’s injury caused a serious blow to the Pakistan cricket team’s campaign.
Fakhar sustained an oblique tear after an awkward fall while fielding during the opening over of Pakistan’s match against New Zealand in Karachi.
He had returned to the field briefly after medical evaluation but was forced to exit again, prompting fears over his fitness.
Subsequent scans confirmed the severity of the injury, leading to his withdrawal just days before the Green Shirts’ clash against India on February 23 in Dubai.
The left-handed batter took to his social media handles to announce his departure from the rest of the tournament.
The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 has approved Imam as a replacement for Zaman in Pakistan’s squad.
A player’s replacement requires approval from the Event Technical Committee before being officially added to the squad.
Meanwhile, in the tournament opener, defending champions Pakistan suffered a 60-run defeat against New Zealand.
Chasing a daunting target of 321, the Men in Green were bowled out for 260, with Khushdil Shah top-scoring with 69 off 49 deliveries, while Babar Azam contributed 64 from 90 balls.
Imam-ul-Haq’s career
Imam-ul-Haq, born on December 22, 1995, in Multan, Pakistan, has slowly established himself as a key part of Pakistan’s batting lineup from the start.
Imam is the nephew of former Pakistani captain and batting legend Inzamam-ul-Haq.
Imam made a sensational entry into international cricket on October 18, 2017, against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi. In this debut match, he scored 100 runs, becoming only the second Pakistani and the thirteenth cricketer globally to achieve a century on ODI debut.
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Following his debut, Imam’s career path has been marked by a series of impressive performances. In 2018, during Pakistan’s tour of Zimbabwe, he demonstrated remarkable consistency by scoring three centuries within ten days, underscoring his ability to support the innings and build good totals, according to Cricinfo.
Imam-ul-Haq’s ODI record
Imam has participated in 72 ODIs, scoring 3,138 runs at a good average of 48 and a strike rate of 82.99. His tally includes nine centuries and 19 half-centuries, with a personal best score of 151 runs against England in 2019.
Primarily an opening batsman, Imam’s role is important in providing stable starts and setting the foundation for Pakistan’s innings. His left-handed stance offers a strategic advantage to the home side.
His approach is characterized by patience and calculated aggression. This allows him to construct innings tactically while focusing on scoring opportunities.
