RAWALPINDI: Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq has shed some of the burden of being the nephew of a legend with a century in each innings against Australia in the drawn first Test.
The 26-year-old’s uncle is former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, but Imam’s exploits in the drawn Rawalpindi Test have now given him recognition in his own right.
The pitch may have been a batting-friendly flat track, but Imam still had to show immense concentration and discipline for knocks of 157 and 111 not out.
In doing so he became the 10th Pakistan batsman to score a century in each innings of a Test, and only the fourth against Australia, behind former captains Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq and Azhar Ali.
His performance will not only cement his place in the Pakistan Test side, but will also silence a legion of critics who go after him after every failure.
The criticism usually circles back to suggestions he only has a place in the side through the family name.
“I don’t care what people say here and there and never lose heart,” Imam said after scoring his maiden Test century on Friday.
“I want to take challenges and excel.”
Despite being cricket royalty Imam’s journey hasn’t been easy.
His uncle is Pakistan’s third-highest Test run-scorer with 8,830 and most prolific in one-day internationals, 11,701.
Despite obvious natural talent Imam was labelled “parchi” — an Urdu term used for someone given undue favoritism — and not helped by the fact that he was first picked in 2018 when his uncle was the chief selector.
Imam had the game, most fans agreed, but was nepotism at play?
The bespectacled Imam was Pakistan’s highest run-getter in the 2014 Under-19 World Cup — where Pakistan lost in the final — finishing with 382 runs in six games.
He also showed form in an A Series against Bangladesh, before scoring 848 in 11 matches in the 2016-17 domestic season.
Inzamam insisted he wasn’t playing family favorites, saying his nephew was selected on the advice of coaches Mickey Arthur and Grant Flower.
“Mickey and Grant came to me and stressed that they wanted him for the team, so only after that he was selected,” he said at the time.
The youngster made an instant impact, scoring a hundred on his ODI debut against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi in 2017.
His first Test, in 2018, was a match-winning 74 not out against Ireland when Pakistan were teetering at 14-3, chasing 160.
While Imam’s ODI form only improved, his Test fortunes slumped and he was dropped after failing in Australia in 2019.
But on the back of two hundreds in domestic cricket, Imam returned to the fold — and made the chance count in Rawalpindi.
“Every time I failed they started trolling me but I have a resolve that I will answer them with my bat, with my runs,” he said. “I want to make my own name.”
Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq makes a name for himself, relatively speaking
https://arab.news/zjkwc
Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq makes a name for himself, relatively speaking
- Pakistan opener scored century in each innings against Australia in drawn first Test
- The 26-year-old’s uncle is former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq
Late winner seals victory for Al-Ettifaq on SPL return
- After month-long hiatus, the Saudi Pro League returned to action on Matchday 11 with Al-Ettifaq and NEOM both securing victories
RIYADH: Thursday marked the long-awaited return of the Saudi Pro League after a 23-day break due to the national team’s participation at the 2025 Arab Cup.
What appeared to be a night short on goals — following a goalless draw between Al-Fayha and Al-Hazem earlier in the day — dramatically shifted after four goals were scored after the 89th minute across the fixtures.
Al-Ettifaq — city rivals of Brendan Rodgers’ new side, Al-Qadsiah — faced Al-Riyadh, looking to strengthen their position in the upper mid-table, and ultimately emerged from the capital with a 2-0 win.
However, the contest proved far from straightforward against the relegation battlers, with Moussa Dembele unable to rediscover his scoring touch despite netting a brace in his last outing.
Al-Ettifaq, enjoying the majority of possession, struggled to find their way past Al-Riyadh goalkeeper Milan Borjan, who produced six saves to keep his side in the contest. Al-Riyadh were pushed deep for much of the second half, largely due to being reduced to 10 men following Mohammed Al-Khaibari’s dismissal after a professional foul.
The visitors’ persistence finally paid off in injury time, as goals from Francisco Calvo and Georginio Wijnaldum secured a dramatic victory to give Al-Ettifaq the valuable three points, lifting them to seventh place on 15 points, after 10 matches.
Sitting just ahead of them in sixth are NEOM, who remain two points clear after surviving a late scare against Al-Najma to claim a 2-1 home victory.
In the battle between two newly-promoted teams — one in the top 6, and the other at the rear end of the table — NEOM appeared to be cruising after centre-back Nathan Zeze scored his first goal for the club in the 54th minute, before Khalifah Al-Dawsari doubled the lead in the 89th minute.
The match took an intense turn when Al-Najma were awarded a penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time, converted by Bilal Boutobba.
As Saudi National Team ex-captain Salman Al-Faraj made his return to the pitch for the first time in 400 days, Al-Najma managed to push forward once more and grab a late goal, believing they had claimed a dramatic equalizer — only for Faisal Al-Mutairi’s effort to be ruled out for offside. The result condemned Al-Najma to their ninth defeat of the season.
Action continues on Friday with three more fixtures: Al-Fateh host Al-Ahli in the Eastern Province at 4:05pm KSA, Al-Kholood face Al-Taawoun at 6:00pm, and Al Hilal welcome Al-Khaleej in Riyadh at 8:30pm.
