Pakistan vs West Indies 3rd ODI: Opener Imam-ul-Haq surpasses Chris Gayle and Kane Williamson with THIS massive record

Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq. (Source: Twitter)

Pakistan completed a 3-0 whitewash of West Indies in the ODI series in Multan with a 53-run win (via DLS method) on Sunday (June 12). In a match reduced to 48 overs, Pakistan posted 269/9 thanks to half-centuries by Shadab Khan and Imam-ul-Haq and then restricted the visitors ton 216 in spite of a whirlwind 37-balls 60 by Akeal Hossain.

During his innings, Imam-ul-Haq registered his seventh successive score of 50-plus in ODI cricket. He became the second Pakistan batsman after legend Javed Miandad to achieve this feat. In fact, captain Babar Azam also had the chance to achieve this feat against West Indies on Sunday but was dismissed for just 1 by leg-spinner Hayden Walsh.

Before his 62-run knock, Imam-ul-Haq had registered scores of 56, 103, 106, 89, 65 and 72 in his last six innings. With this feat, the Pakistan opener surpassed an elite list of batsmen namely Mark Waugh, Gordon Greenidge, Andrew Jones, Mohammad Yusuf, Chris Gayle, Shai Hope, Paul Stirling, Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson, all of whom have six consecutive scores of 50-plus in ODIs. Miandad has nine consecutive 50-plus scores in ODIs, the most by any batsman in history. Two more half centuries, and Imam-ul-Haq will equal the legendary batsman’s record.

In a match curtailed to 48 overs per side, Pakistan posted a healthy total courtesy Imam’s 62 and Shadab Khan smashed 86 off 78 balls. In reply, the Windies were bundled out for 216 in 37.2 overs with Shadab Khan claiming 4/62 and Hasan Ali picking up 2/29.

Here's the one with the captain #PAKvWI | #KhelAbhiBaqiHai pic.twitter.com/O8hwqDPyu6

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) June 12, 2022

“We could execute the plans and are giving 100 per cent in all departments and the results are there to see. Nawaz’s bowling in the second match was vital and that decided the series for us. So it was the best for us in the series. We had to check the bench strength as well as utilise the seniors,” Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said during the post-match presentation.

“We are trying different combinations with bat and bowl. We will try to keep continuity and keep testing. We have different areas of improvements as each of the three games showed. We hope to learn from our mistakes and get better. (On his form) I try to play positive cricket and try to play the situation. The conditions were differently in each of the games,” Babar added.

Brief Scores: Pakistan 269/9 in 48 ovs (Shadab Khan 86, Imam-ul-Haq 62; Nicholas Pooran 4/48) bt West Indies 216 in 37.2 ovs (Akeal Hossain 60; Shadab Khan 4/62)