Imam-ul-Haq
Imam-ul-Haq. Credit: Twitter

Pakistan opening batsman Imam-Ul-Haq would be returning home from New Zealand as a thumb injury has ruled him out of the second Test too. Imam-Ul-Haq suffered the injury during a training session in Queenstown and will undergo rehab at the performance centre in Lahore. The first Test between Pakistan and New Zealand began on Saturday in Mount Maunganui.

Pakistan has sustained too many injury concerns in their ongoing tour of New Zealand, mainly to their crucial players. All-rounder Shadab Khan’s thigh injury in the T20I series could see him out of the upcoming home series against South Africa. South Africa will embark on a historical tour of Pakistan for two Tests and three T20Is, slated to visit the nation for the first time since 2007.

Babar Azam
Babar Azam (Credits: Twitter)

Pakistan all-format captain Babar Azam has also joined the injury list, having missed the entire T20I series against New Zealand and staying out of the opening Test with a thumb fracture. Even though the PCB revealed that the right-handed batsman is progressing well, a decision is yet to be taken on whether he will play the second Test in Christchurch. Keeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan has stepped up as the leader in his absence.

Imam-Ul-Haq’s Test career in a glance:

Imam-ul-Haq
Imam-ul-Haq (Credits: ESPNCricinfo)

Imam-Ul-Haq, who is former Pakistan captain Inzamam-Ul-Haq’s nephew, is a specialist ODI batsman, averaging a daunting 52.4 in the format. The southpaw’s 11-Test career has yielded only 485 runs at 25.53 alongside three half-centuries. The first Test against New Zealand will see Shan Masood and Abid Ali opening the innings.

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