Leading Pakistan Opener Lost His Spot in National Squad for 'Leaking Sensitive Information': Report

Imam-ul-Haq, once a regular feature in Pakistan's opening order, has found himself out of the national squad for months now due to allegations of leaking sensitive information to the media, reported Cricket Pakistan.

This controversial exclusion is reportedly linked to a confidential report submitted by former team director Mohammad Hafeez. Hafeez's report implicated Imam in sharing internal team matters, leading to the management's decision to drop him.

The 28-year-old southpaw, who is the nephew of Pakistan legend and former chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, hasn't played for Pakistan since November 2023, when he featured in the Melbourne Test against Australia, scoring 10 and 12 runs across two innings. Since then, Pakistan's cricket management has moved on from Imam, opting instead for youngster Saim Ayub as Abdullah Shafique's new opening partner in Test cricket.

Despite his exclusion from the national side, Imam-ul-Haq has continued to score decently in domestic cricket. He made a strong case for a comeback by scoring three consecutive centuries for the Lions during Pakistan's Champions One-Day Cup in September.

He also contributed with a half-century earlier this month for Pakistan TV in the President's Cup (One-Day), showcasing his batting prowess. However, these performances haven't been enough to earn him a recall, given the weight of the accusations against him.

In Test cricket, he has played 24 matches, amassing 1,568 runs with a high score of 157 and an average of 37.33, including three centuries and nine fifties. His One-Day International (ODI) record is even more impressive, with 72 matches played, yielding 3,138 runs at an average of 48.27, featuring nine centuries and 20 fifties.

In T20Is, although he has only played two matches, his overall first-class and List A performances demonstrate his capability, with 4,630 and 4,566 runs, respectively.

Pakistan's struggles in the Test arena have continued despite Imam's ouster. Under the captaincy of Shan Masood, Pakistan has endured six consecutive Test defeats. Masood's tenure has been challenging, starting with a 3-0 series loss to Australia. This was followed by a historic whitewash at the hands of Bangladesh in a two-match series played on home soil, marking Pakistan's first-ever home series defeat against the Bengal Tigers.

Most recently, Masood led Pakistan in the first Test of a three-match series against England, which also ended in a defeat. As Pakistan looks to bounce back in the second Test, scheduled from October 15 to 19, Imam appears a distant memory for Pakistan cricket.