Imam-ul-Haq will finish his spell with Yorkshire in a important One-Day Cup semi-final against Hampshire this Sunday at Scarborough. The 29-year-old wicket-keeper batter recently joined the English county side in July. He was a last-minute substitute for Ruturaj Gaikwad who had to leave the squad through personal reasons. His eye-catching displays have done plenty to boost his fortunes at the club and national level. It was intended to be permanent for the remainder of the season.
Despite being excluded from Pakistan’s recent squad for the series against the West Indies, Imam-ul-Haq’s impressive form in the One-Day Cup has reignited discussions regarding his potential recall to the national Test team. With an average of 97.16 and 583 runs, he is second on the all-time scorers list in the competition at present. His career-high 159 off 130 balls for the Birmingham Bears against the Northamptonshire Steelbacks speaks to his extraordinary talent.
Yorkshire’s success this season can be partially attributed to Imam’s contributions, as they topped their group with seven victories out of eight matches. James Wharton, a teammate, praised Imam, stating, “He’s been amazing. Obviously the runs he has scored has been superb, we couldn’t have wished for it to go any better.”
Along with his statistical feats, Wharton pointed to Imam’s extraordinary batting talent. “He’s a very intelligent man and when you bat with him, it’s amazing to learn off [him] from the other end because he just talks you through it all.”
Going forward, the Pakistan selectors will be hoping to see more of the same from Imam-ul-Haq. They have been calling upon him to prove himself come the next Hanif Mohammad Trophy in a month’s time. They are eyeing him up for a place in the Test squad for the tour to South Africa later this month.
Imam, meanwhile, is looking forward to his last hit-out with Yorkshire. His fans and selectors alike will be awaiting with great anticipation to see if he can continue to maintain his lofty standards and retake his place on the international stage. His story remains one to watch as he juggles club ambitions with national dreams.
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