Imam-ul-Haq’s stunning form in England spilled over into the home season, where he hit a triple hundred in the Hanif Mohammad Trophy.
Imam continues fine form after One-Day Cup
Yorkshire were knocked out of the One-Day Cup after their defeat against Hampshire in the semi-final, but that was despite Imam’s incredible form, not despite it. With 688 runs at 98.28 and a strike rate of 98, Imam is the leading run-scorer in the tournament.
The final (Hampshire versus Worcestershire on September 20) is yet to be played. Imam may drop to second spot on the runs chart, but not on the centuries list: his four tons are two clear of anyone else’s tally. Naturally, he is now a contender for a spot in the ODI XI, after being dropped from the Champions Trophy squad earlier this year (called up as the injured Fakhar Zaman’s replacement, he did not get a game).
Imam has not played a Test match since the Boxing Day Test of 2023/24 in Melbourne, but got 823 runs at 68.58 in the home first-class season of 2024/25. Yorkshire commitments kept him out of the first round of the Hanif Mohammad Trophy, a domestic red-ball tournament where the games do not get first-class status.
Imam was playing for Multan Region against Dera Murad Jamali Region at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi. DMJ rode on Nasir Khan’s 148 to post 361 after Imam won the toss and opted to field. Arafat Minhas returned 4-46.
Imam hits highest career score
In response, Multan finished the second day on 330-1. Imam, on a 182-ball 176 at stumps, accelerated on the third day before Fahad Hussain dismissed him for a 291-ball 330. The innings included 34 fours and eight sixes, and is Imam’s highest recorded score in organised cricket by the proverbial mile: his two double-hundreds, 200 not out in 2016/17 and 202 not out in 2021/22, came in first-class cricket.
With Muhammad Sharoon Siraj also smashing a 115-ball 126 not out (12 fours, five sixes), Imam declared on 664-5 at a shade over a run a ball even as Fahad claimed 3-146.
At the time of writing, DMJ were 102-5 in their second innings with Mohammad Shahid (29) and Abid Ali (0) at the crease. They need another 201 to make Multan bat again.
