Imam-ul-Haq surpasses Chris Gayle, Kane Williamson to become only second batter to unique feat

Pakistan wrapped up the three-match ODI series on Monday, completing a 3-0 clean sweep, and in the process, some of their batsmen landed a few milestones as well. Imam-ul-Haq continued his rich vein of form for the Green Army as he became only the second batsman after compatriot Javed Miandad to achieve a unique yet historic feat. 

The 26-year-old scored 62 runs in 68 balls in the third ODI against West Indies, with his knock including seven fours and a six helping the youngster to a personal milestone. 

As Pakistan posted 269-9 in their first innings against the Caribbean side, Imam-ul-Haq recorded his seventh consecutive fifty-plus score in ODI cricket. Following in the footsteps of Miandad, he thus became only the second batsman ever to achieve this illustrious record. 

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Moreover, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam also had a chance to join Imam-ul-Haq by replicating this feat but he was dismissed for just one run in the third ODI, thereby missing the milestone by a whisker. 

An occasion to remember

Local lad @ImamUlHaq12 opens up about his emotional homecoming in Multan#PAKvWI | #KhelAbhiBaqiHai pic.twitter.com/VcMI7iKjDO
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) June 13, 2022

For the unversed, Javed Miandad, the former Pakistan great holds the record for scoring nine back-to-back fifty-plus scores in ODI history, and Imam only needs three more half-centuries to surpass him. 

Before his 62-run knock, the youngster had scored 56, 103, 106, 89, 65 and 72, respectively, in his last six innings.

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The Pakistani opener thus surpassed an illustrious list of legendary players such as Mark Waugh, Mohammad Yusuf, Chris Gayle, Shai Hope, Paul Stirling, Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson, among others, all of whom had hit six successive fifty-plus scores in ODI cricket history. 

@ImamUlHaq12 talks about the ‘process’ behind his success, areas of improvement for Pakistan team, the dismissal in the second ODI and boosting fitness levels #PAKvWI | #KhelAbhiBaqiHai pic.twitter.com/aRX4BrnQqM

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) June 13, 2022

Meanwhile, Imam-ul-Haq’s heroics, combined with Shadab Khan’s 86 runs in 78 balls, helped the Men in Green to rack up a huge target, despite a four-wicket haul from West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran. 

The match was reduced to 48 overs for each side, but the visitors folded for 216 runs, giving the hosts a 53-run win.