Chasing 274, Pakistan were cruising at 186 for 1 in the 32nd over, with Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam involved in a 177-run stand for the second wicket. However, Pakistan soon slipped to 203 for 5 before eventually winning by three wickets off the final ball.
Former cricketer Ramiz Raja, on commentary, saw the humorous side of Pakistan’s all-too-familiar implosion, joking that the team is famous for this entertaining attribute. Even Imam-ul-Haq saw the funny side of things and joked after the match:
On a serious note, Imam-ul-Haq admitted that Pakistan need to learn from their familiar mistakes if they wish to win big tournaments, saying:
Disappointed not to finish the game: Imam-ul-Haq
While Imam-ul-Haq was out for 70, Babar Azam went on to register his 13th ODI hundred. Incidentally, Imam-ul-Haq hasn’t scored a hundred since the 2019 World Cup despite having several opportunities to do so.
Expressing his disappointment at not finishing the game, Imam-ul-Haq said that he would look to make amends in the rest of the series.
The second ODI between the two sides will be played at the same venue in Centurion on Sunday.
0 votes
