In the ongoing Champions Cup, several players have seized the opportunity to showcase their skills and make a case for national team selection. Among them is Imam-ul-Haq, the nephew of former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, who has been making his presence felt with two half-centuries in the tournament. However, his latest dismissal against Panthers has left him visibly frustrated, as he vented his anger upon reaching the dressing room.
Imam’s Dismissal and Lions’ Collapse
Chasing a target of 284 against Panthers, Imam was batting confidently on 60 when he attempted a cut shot against captain Shadab Khan. Unfortunately, his shot resulted in an outside edge that was caught by the wicket-keeper, Usman Khan. Imam’s dismissal left the Lions at 127/4 in the 23rd over, and they struggled to recover from there.
As Imam walked back to the dressing room, his frustration boiled over. He smashed the ground with his bat and threw it in anger, before sitting down on a chair and shouting in disappointment. Imam’s knock, which included five fours and two sixes, had provided a solid foundation for the Lions’ chase, but his dismissal proved to be a turning point in the match.
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Watch Imam’s Reaction Here:
Lions’ Batting Woes
After Imam’s departure, the Lions’ batting lineup crumbled against the spin duo of Usama Mir and Shadab Khan. Irfan Khan (35) fell to Mir, while Khushdil (22) was deceived by Shadab. Aamer Yamin also fell victim to the captain’s guile, becoming Shadab’s third victim of the day. Even skipper Shaheen Afridi could not make an impact, as he was bowled for an eight-ball duck by Mir.
Ahmed Daniyal (16) and Sirajuddin (19) tried to entertain the crowd in Faisalabad, but their efforts were not enough to save the Lions. The team was eventually bowled out for 199 in 35.3 overs, losing the match by a margin of 84 runs. This was their second consecutive defeat in the tournament.
Despite his recent disappointment, Imam-ul-Haq’s overall numbers in ODIs are impressive. He has scored 3,138 runs from 72 matches at an average of 48.27, including nine centuries and 20 fifties. However, he was dropped from the ODI side after the team’s exit from the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he managed to score 162 runs from six innings.
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