HYDERABAD: Pakistan’s prolific opener, Imam-ul-Haq, reached a significant milestone during the ICC World Cup match against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad on Tuesday, becoming the joint second fastest batsman to score 3,000 runs in One Day Internationals (ODIs). The 27-year-old left-hander achieved this feat in his 67th ODI innings, making him part of an elite group of cricketers.
Imam-ul-Haq’s remarkable journey to 3,000 ODI runs began with a century on his debut against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi in 2017. He now shares the joint second spot for the fastest to reach 3,000 ODI runs, a distinction he shares with Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman and West Indian Shai Hope, both of whom accomplished this milestone in the same number of innings.
South African batting maestro Hashim Amla remains the fastest to achieve the feat, reaching 3,000 ODI runs in just 57 innings.
By entering the 3,000-run club, Imam-ul-Haq has become the 22nd Pakistani batsman to achieve this milestone in ODIs. Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imam-ul-Haq’s paternal uncle, leads the chart for Pakistan with a remarkable 11,701 runs in 375 matches, setting an extraordinary benchmark for future generations.
Despite this achievement, Imam-ul-Haq’s innings during the match against Sri Lanka was cut short, as he was dismissed for 12 runs. His efforts were part of Pakistan’s pursuit of a challenging target of 345, highlighting the intensity and competitiveness of the ongoing World Cup matches.
