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Pak vs Eng: Imam-ul-Haq to not play final Karachi Test

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Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq will not be a part of the playing XI for the third Test against England which is scheduled to start tomorrow (December 17) in Karachi at the National Stadium. 

The player has been ruled out of the third and final Test due to a hamstring injury. 

During the third day of the second Test against the Englishmen in Multan, Imam was taken to a hospital for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan after he “felt unease in his right hamstring”.

In the absence of Imam, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan opened the second innings for Pakistan alongside Abdullah Shafique.

The opener, however, was back on the ground after returning from the hospital.

Naseem Shah ruled out

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s pacer Naseem Shah was also ruled out from the third and final Test, the cricket board (PCB) announced Tuesday.

In a statement, the board said that a niggle in the bowling shoulder has ruled out Shah from the side — who are already missing pacers Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

The PCB said the fast bowler will travel to Lahore where he will undergo further assessments at the National High-Performance Centre before beginning rehabilitation.

“The team management has not requested his replacement at this stage,” the board noted.

Shaheen, Rauf not part of series

Shaheen — Pakistan’s main wicket-taker in all three formats — was left out of the series following a knee injury sustained during the T20 World Cup final in Australia earlier this month.

The pacer also had his appendix removed earlier this month due to which the 22-year-old was advised to stay out of the field.

Meanwhile, Rauf was ruled out of the rest of the Test series against England with a thigh injury. The 29-year-old stepped on the ball while fielding on the first day.

Scans and a subsequent assessment concluded Rauf needs time off for rehabilitation.

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The team’s failure to capitalize against India is acknowledged by Mohammad Rizwan.

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After losing to India in Sunday’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match, Pakistan captain Muhammad Rizwan acknowledged that his team did not take advantage of winning the toss.

According to Rizwan, India’s bowlers controlled the middle overs, limiting Pakistan to 240 runs after they had set a goal of 280.

“When Saud Shakeel and I were batting, our plan was to take the game deep, but our shot selection was poor, which cost us wickets at crucial moments,” Rizwan said. He admitted that India’s bowling attack limited Pakistan’s ability to reach a competitive score.

Rizwan also praised the efforts of India’s hitters, especially Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, who stole the match from Pakistan with their outstanding batting. Rizwan said, “In ODI cricket, you have to perform in all three aspects,” highlighting his team’s general inability to win the match.

The skipper of Pakistan also emphasized the necessity to strengthen their fielding by highlighting persistent errors. “We have been consistently making the same errors, particularly when fielding. Going forward, we must work on these,” he continued.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, commended his team’s teamwork in the victory and gave bowlers Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja credit for holding Pakistan to a low score.

“Our bowlers performed admirably in keeping Pakistan’s score down. Things were difficult because of Saud Shakeel and Rizwan’s alliance, but we followed our plan,” Sharma stated.

“Virat batted brilliantly today, but none of us in the dressing room are surprised by his performance,” Sharma said in reference to Virat Kohli’s game-winning innings.

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Shaheen Shah Afridi acknowledges difficulties during the death overs.

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Following Pakistan’s triumph over South Africa in the tri-nation series, Shaheen Shah Afridi acknowledged the issue of death bowling.

In response to the injury concern, the left-arm pacer stated, “My finger is fine; I underwent an X-ray.” Some swelling persists, but I anticipate improvement shortly. These matches are essential for preparation for the Champions Trophy 2025.

Commenting on his interaction with a South African batsman, Shaheen stated, “For the first time, he remained silent.” I was the one instigating him to lose his wicket.

Prioritizing collective effort over personal achievements, Shaheen stated, “This is not about Babar or Shaheen—it is about Pakistan.” “The presence of negativity will hinder progress in any context.”

During Wednesday’s match, tensions escalated when Shaheen Shah Afridi confronted Matthew Breetzke, necessitating intervention from the on-field umpire and other players to separate them.

During a crucial tri-series encounter at Karachi’s National Stadium, South African batsman Matthew Breetzke and Pakistani pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi engaged in a contentious confrontation. Matthew Breetzke and Shaheen Shah Afridi were engaged in a confrontational exchange in a video that gained widespread attention on social media.

Matthew Breetzke, who scored a century in the previous match against New Zealand in Lahore, edged a delivery to the onside in the 28th over of the innings. Shaheen Afridi appeared displeased when the 26-year-old nearly collided with the left-arm fast bowler while dashing between the wickets to converse with Breetzke.

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The Champions Trophy and Tri-Nation series traffic strategy for Karachi has been released.

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While alternate routes and designated parking spots have been set up to ensure seamless traffic flow, the traffic police say Sir Shah Suleman Road would remain open for regular traffic on match days.

Travellers from Karsaz can park their cars beneath the flyover at the China Ground and National Coaching Centre.

Parking for those travelling from Millennium will also be available at China Ground and the National Coaching Centre.

The same parking lots are open to New Town visitors.

To prevent any disruption, Karachi Police have stressed that cars should only be parked in approved spots. For a hassle-free commute on match days, commuters are encouraged to plan their routes appropriately and heed traffic police instructions.

Traffic Diversions: To alleviate congestion on match days, heavy traffic will be rerouted from Sohrab Goth to Nipa and Liaquatabad No. 10 to Hassan Square. There will also be a rerouting of heavy vehicles from People’s Chowrangi via University Road.

Heavy Traffic Restricted Roads: The following roads will not be open to heavy traffic:

Millennium to New Town Stadium Signal to Hassan Square Karsaz to Stadium

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