Pakistan suffered a major setback in the third ODI match against New Zealand on Saturday in Mount Maunganui. The Kiwis were asked to bat first and scored a total of 264/8 with captain Michael Bracewell and Rhys Mariu scoring 59 and 58 runs respectively. For Pakistan, Akif Javed was the hero bowler as he took four wickets. But when Pakistan went out to bat for the chase, their key opener Imam-ul-Haq got a huge injury and was carried off the field.
The Moment of Injury
The event occurred in the 3rd over when Imam made a shot off William O’Rourke and ran for a single. As he was finishing his run, a fielder picked the ball and threw it towards the non-striker’s end. But the ball brutally struck Imam on his left jaw and became lodged into the helmet.
Immediate Response and Medical Attention
The left-hand one appeared to be in agony as he fell on the ground and raised his hands for assistance. The team physio rushed and attended to him and pronounced him unfit to continue playing the match.
Imam-ul-Haq Taken Off the Field
Imam was then taken off the field on a buggy ambulance. Pakistan’s aggressive batter Usman Khan was brought in as Imam’s replacement for the remainder of the game.
Concussion Diagnosis and Substitution
After a medical examination, team management confirmed Imam had suffered a concussion and would no longer feature in the match.
Usman Khan Named as Replacement For Imam-ul-Haq
According to ICC rules, a team may introduce a like-for-like concussion replacement in these circumstances. Pakistan announced Usman Khan as a replacement for Imam something squarely within the limits of the regulation.
“Usman Khan has been named the concussion substitute for Imam-ul-Haq, who sustained an injury after being struck on the jaw by the ball,” the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed in a social media post.
Usman, who had made an early impression with a swift cameo in the first game before being absent for the second game because of a hamstring issue, was back on the field but was unable to leave his mark. Before Usman was dismissed by for mere 12 runs.
This is the second ODI running in which a Pakistani cricketer has suffered a concussion. In the match against New Zealand last time out, Naseem Shah had replaced the injured Haris Rauf, who was struck on the helmet while batting.