Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq gave a strong response to those who had questioned his discipline and attitude after playing a determined knock of 93 on the first day of the Test match against South Africa in Lahore.
This game marked his return to Test cricket after a gap of two years, with his last game being in December 2023 against Australia.
Speaking to the Reporters, Imam said that over the past two years, he had worked hard on improving his batting technique and shot selection. However, he added that he never felt the need to work on his discipline or attitude since no one had ever pointed out any such problem to him.
“I have worked a lot on my batting and shots development but honestly I have not worked on improving discipline like you asked because I have never had such a problem nor has anyone spoken to me about any attitude issues with me,” Imam said.
One of the main reasons for Imam-ul-Haq’s comeback and good form is his excellent performance in List A cricket while playing for Yorkshire in the One-Day Cup.
He was the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament, scoring 688 runs in just eight innings at an average of 98.28 and a strike rate of 97.45. Imam hit four centuries and three half centuries during the competition.
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Pakistan ended Day 1 at 313 for 5. They had a disappointing start, losing opener Abdullah Shafique in the very first over. Captain Shan Masood and Imam-ul-Haq then steadied things with a solid partnership and played positive cricket before both missed out on centuries. Imam scored 93, while Masood made 76.
After their dismissals, Pakistan suffered a small collapse, with Babar Azam also falling soon after tea, leaving the team at 199 for 5. Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha saved the innings with a strong 100+ run partnership for the sixth wicket. Rizwan remained unbeaten on 62, while Agha was not out on 52. Both reached their fifties, and Pakistan will aim to build on this total on Day 2.
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