Pakistani cricketer Imam-ul-Haq gave a sensational answer after a fan asked him if Babar Azam supported Shadab Khan in the team more than him. He said that teams do not become friends and that the all-rounder plays for a long time.
Imam-ul-Haq has been one of the decent contributors to the Pakistan cricket team in recent years. However, he has struggled to get going of late and has come under a lot of scrutiny for his poor performances, especially in ODIs and Tests.
Imam-ul-Haq got a series of low scores under his belt and was then dropped from the XI during the ICC World Cup 2023. He played the first few matches of the tournament but couldn’t set the stage on fire and was later replaced. by Fakhar Zaman in the team.
With Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique making an impact with the bat for the team, it was difficult for Imam-ul-Haq to make a comeback and his chances of getting a place in the team now also look bleak. The torrid streak continued even in testing.
Then, Imam-ul-Haq failed to make an impact with the bat in the Test series against Australia. He played the first few matches and then struggled to play the short ball before being replaced by Saim Ayub in the XI in the last few matches of the series. Given that he is struggling to get going in both formats that he played, it might be difficult for him to make a comeback.
During a TV show, a fan asked Imam-ul-Haq why Captain Babar Azam, who is a good friend of him and Shadab Khan, prefers all-rounders more than him even though the latter does not like him. He has a good time with the bat and the ball.
Responding to this, Imam-ul-Haq stated that he respects the fans’ question but backed Shadab Khan, saying that the all-rounder has been playing for a long time and his contribution to the team is commendable. He stated:
“Meri jaan, dosti yaari se team nahi banti (a team is not formed through friendships).” Imam-ul-Haq said bluntly. “Your perspective may be like that and I respect everyone.
“Shady (Shadab Khan) has been playing for a long time and is not a newcomer. We can talk about his performance. But his debut was in 2016. If a child has been playing for 8 years, he is worthy of praise.”
I am playing in ODIs and Shadab is playing like an all-rounder – Imam-Ul-Haq
Imam-Ul-Haq further stated that he has been playing in ODIs and not in T20Is, while Shadab Khan, who is an all-rounder, also plays in T20Is. Weighing his point, he stated:
“You don’t let anyone play for 3 games. So it is very difficult to play for 8 years. As far as I’m concerned, I haven’t played T20 for a long time. I am playing in ODIs. And Shadab is playing like an all-rounder,” he concluded.