Amid controversy over the legitimacy of Pakistan batter Imam-ul-Haq’s calf injury in the second Test against England at Lord’s, a report claims this is not the first time the southpaw has been accused of faking an injury.
In fact, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) inquiry committee in 2025 recommended a complete ban on Imam after finding him guilty of fabricating a physical issue. The opener was investigated for allegedly misrepresenting an injury during Pakistan's tour of New Zealand.
Imam sustained a Grade 1 tear in his left calf while fielding during England’s first innings at Lord’s. He was forced off the field after tea on Day 1, with Salman Ali Agha replacing him as a substitute fielder.
The left-hander sat out Pakistan's first innings—where the team collapsed for just 110 runs—and did not participate in the final run chase. This left the visitors competing with only 10 active batters.
As per Cricinfo, Imam was advised rest for 10 days. Despite attempting a few light throw-downs with heavy strapping before Day 4, his movement remained severely limited.
Speaking on Sky Sports, former England pacer Stuart Broad minced no words and labeled Imam's injury actions as an "all for show" act.
“That’s all for show. He has got a bit of stick from the media and maybe his teammates. Whatever. You can do that inside the indoor school without anyone seeing; you don’t have to come wearing shorts and tape and hobble around like that. I am not impressed with that. Sorry," Broad said.
Amid the scrutiny, a report published by Geo News alleged that Imam claimed to have suffered a toe injury last year, but the committee found no medical evidence to support declaring him unfit as an X-ray revealed no fracture or dislocation.
However, Imam complained of extreme pain, and a black mark appeared on his toe. When a team doctor cleaned his toe using chemically treated paper, the black mark disappeared completely. The inquiry committee ultimately concluded the mark was artificially drawn with ink or a marker.
Furthermore, the medical staff strictly advised Imam against walking due to the alleged severity of the injury. Despite this, sources noted he walked roughly 500 meters to attend a local iftar gathering
According to the report, the committee found no medical basis to declare him unfit and concluded that Imam "fabricated, exaggerated, or misrepresented symptoms" to intentionally make himself unavailable for the opening ODI on New Zealand's challenging, pace-friendly pitches.
The committee also recommended a comprehensive ban on Imam from representing Pakistan across all formats and levels.
Earlier last week, former PCB chief selector Mohammad Wasim publicly stated that a team physio warned him about Imam faking an injury during the 2022 home Test series against England.
The latest report concludes by suggesting that the PCB is likely to evaluate Imam’s current injury in the context of those previous incidents.
