What began as a routine injury update has erupted into a full-blown controversy around Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq, whose calf strain in the Lord’s Test against England is now the subject of a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) inquiry.
Imam pulled up while fielding on the opening day of the second Test on 27 August. The PCB announced soon after that scans had confirmed a low-grade strain to his left calf muscle and that he was under the care of the national side’s medical staff.
On paper, it sounded straightforward. On the field, it looked anything but.
Imam did not bat in either innings at Lord’s. Pakistan, already reeling from a heavy defeat in the first Test, slid to another comprehensive loss without one of their senior top-order batters taking guard even once.
Then came the pictures.
On the fourth day, Imam appeared with heavy strapping on his left calf, taking throwdowns. That visual, of a player declared unfit to bat but seemingly mobile enough to train, lit the fuse. Some former Pakistan cricketers went public, accusing him of "faking" the injury and questioning his commitment at a time when the team was collapsing.
PCB steps in
The noise around Imam grew louder after Pakistan’s back-to-back defeats. In the fallout, the selectors swung the axe. Imam, along with six other players, was sent back home following what has been described within the setup as a disastrous start to the series.
That was only the beginning.
“An inquiry will be conducted into this matter,” Auqib Javed, a member of the PCB selection committee, told Geo News, confirming that the board would formally investigate the circumstances around Imam’s absence with the bat.
Javed did not hide his disbelief.
“How is it possible that you failed to come out to bat in both innings after pulling up a muscle?” he asked. “Injuries do occur, and we have seen instances in the past where players — even with casts — have gone out and made an effort. This situation is different. It is a matter of great concern, and action will be taken regarding it.”
Inside the Pakistan camp, the language is even starker. A team insider told PTI that Imam is in “big trouble” and is expected to seek legal counsel before appearing in front of the PCB’s inquiry committee.
“Imam is in big trouble, and he is also likely to seek legal counsel when he has to appear to face an inquiry committee of the Board, which will look into his calf muscle injury,” the insider said.
Old doubts resurface
This is not the first time Imam’s fitness has been placed under the microscope.
His latest injury row has dragged back into focus comments made by former chief selector Mohammad Wasim, who previously disclosed that then-team physiotherapist Cliffe Deacon had raised concerns over what he viewed as suspicious injury patterns involving the opener during Pakistan’s Test series against England in 2022.
Those earlier misgivings never quite disappeared. Lord’s has now brought them roaring back.
On the field, Imam’s contribution in this series has been minimal. The 30-year-old scored 42 from 74 balls in the first innings of the opening Test against England, then fell for a five-ball duck in the second innings as Pakistan crashed to defeat by an innings and 103 runs.
The second Test brought no chance of redemption. Pakistan slumped again, this time by 194 runs, with Imam sidelined and the dressing room under intense scrutiny.
Now, as the squad regroups for the third and final Test in Birmingham starting 9 September, the story around Pakistan is no longer just about tactics, selection, or form.
It is about trust — and whether one of their most recognisable batters can convince the board, his teammates, and a sceptical public that his calf strain was exactly what the scans said it was, and nothing more.
