Imam-ul-Haq

Imam-ul-Haq is a Pakistani international cricketer who represents the Pakistan National Cricket Team. He is a prominent batter who has achieved significant milestones across various formats of the game.

Early life and education

Imam-ul-Haq was born on 22 December 1995 in Multan, Punjab. He belongs to a Syed Haryanvi Muslim family that relocated from Hansi in British India during the Partition. His uncle is the former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq.

Career

Imam-ul-Haq began his domestic career in Pakistan. He scored 200 not out for Habib Bank Limited during the final of the 2016–17 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Later, he earned the man of the match title after scoring 59 not out for Lahore Blues in the 2017–18 National T20 Cup final. In September 2025, he recorded a career-best 330 runs off 291 balls while playing for Multan Region against Dera Murad Jamali Region. This massive innings at the National Bank Stadium included 34 fours and eight sixes.

His international debut occurred on 18 October 2017, when he played his first One Day International against Sri Lanka. He scored a century during this match and was named man of the match. This performance made him the second batter from Pakistan and the thirteenth player overall to score a century on ODI debut. In April 2018, he joined the Test squad for tours to Ireland and England. He made his Test debut against Ireland on 11 May 2018, where he scored a half century in the final innings.

He established several records during his international tenure. On 20 July 2018, he and Fakhar Zaman achieved an ODI opening partnership of 304 runs against Zimbabwe. This partnership helped Pakistan reach 399 for one, which was the highest score in their ODI history. In January 2019, he became the second fastest batter to reach 1,000 ODI runs by completing the feat in his 19th innings. He also scored his first Test century in March 2022 against Australia and followed it with a second century in the same match.

His career includes stints in English domestic cricket. He signed with Somerset in July 2022 for the final four matches of the County Championship. In July 2025, he joined Yorkshire as an overseas signing. During the 2025 One Day Cup, he scored 583 runs in 7 innings at an average of approximately 97.16. His notable scores for Yorkshire included 159 against Northamptonshire and 117 against Lancashire.

In February 2025, he joined the Pakistan squad for the ICC Champions Trophy as an injury replacement for Fakhar Zaman. During a group match against India, he was run out by a direct hit. On 5 April 2025, he suffered a facial injury during an ODI against New Zealand when a ball struck his helmet grill. He was replaced by Usman Khan as a concussion substitute after being rushed to the hospital.

Personal life

Imam-ul-Haq married Anmol Mehmood in Lahore on 25 November 2023. His wife is a doctor who resides in Norway. During the 2024 T20 World Cup, he worked as an expert panelist for the Geo News show Hasna Mana Hai.

Awards and recognition

In August 2018, the Pakistan Cricket Board awarded him a central contract for the 2018–19 season. He was one of 33 players to receive this honor. He also earned man of the match awards during his debut ODI and the 2017–18 National T20 Cup final.