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Imam-ul-Haq smashes his bat, throws helmet in frustration (Source: X)
Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq was furious after being dismissed in the Champions One-day Cup match in Faisalabad on Monday, September 16. The southpaw batted brilliantly during the Lions’ 289-run chase against the Panthers, but his failure to convert a solid knock into a big one left him disappointed.
Lions lost a couple of wickets early on and Imam, one of Pakistan's regular openers in ODIs and Tests, took the responsibility of bringing them back into the game. He formed brief partnerships with Omair Yousuf and Irfan Khan and eventually fell prey to all-rounder Shadab Khan in the 23rd over.
Imam completed his half-century and was looking set to score a hundred. However, the Panthers skipper introduced himself into the attack and struck straightaway. The left-hander nicked the ball and wicketkeeper Usman Khan made no mistake to grab the big wicket.
Watch the video of Shadab Khan dismissing Imam-ul-Haq:
— Cricket Cricket (@cricket543210) September 16, 2024
Imam’s 60-run knock packed with five fours and two sixes was a major setback for the Lions and Shadab celebrated the moment widely. The 28-year-old looked disappointed as he walked back to the dressing room. He completely lost his cool and took his anger out on his accessories. He smashed his bat with tremendous force and threw his helmet in frustration.
Watch the video below:
— Cricket Cricket (@cricket543210) September 16, 2024
Lions endure huge collapse after Imam’s dismissal
At the time of Imam-ul-Haq’s dismissal, the Lions were 127-4 in 22.1 overs. They had a mountain to climb and they decided not to go for it. Shadab and Usama Mir combined to take six wickets, helping the Panthers wrap up the innings for 199 runs and win by a huge margin of 84 runs.
Earlier after opting to bat first, Panthers posted 283 before getting bowled out in 46.5 overs. After suffering a top-order collapse, it was Mubasir Khan (90 off 97) and Haider Ali (84 off 99) who helped them reach a competitive score. Ahmed Daniyal and captain Shaheen Shah Afridi shone for the Lions, picking up three wickets each.