Imam-ul-Haq calf strain at Lord's revives 2025 PCB inquiry into alleged fake injury

Imam-ul-Haq suffered a low-grade left calf strain while fielding on the opening day of the second Test against England at Lord's, and the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed the injury after scans, ruling him out for the remainder of the match.

Pakistan lost the Test by 194 runs as England secured an unassailable 2-0 series lead. The situation attracted attention when Imam was seen training on the sidelines despite being officially ruled out, and former England pacer Stuart Broad accused him of “putting on an act”. The PCB is reportedly considering a high-level investigation into the Lord's injury.

The episode has revived a controversy from Pakistan's 2025 tour of New Zealand. On March 28, 2025, during an indoor net session in New Zealand, a ball struck Imam's right big toe; an X-ray reportedly showed no fracture or dislocation, though he later complained of pain and discolouration and, despite being advised not to walk, walked around 500 metres to attend an iftar gathering.

A PCB inquiry subsequently examined a dark mark on Imam's toe that reportedly disappeared after a team doctor cleaned the area with chemically treated paper. The committee reportedly concluded the mark was ink or marker rather than natural blood. Imam denied using any artificial substance, but investigators allegedly found his explanation inconsistent with the medical evidence, and team officials told the inquiry he appeared to limp when under observation but walked normally when away from staff.

According to a report by Geo TV, the committee concluded there was no medical basis for declaring Imam unavailable for Pakistan's opening ODI against New Zealand and reportedly accused him of fabricating, exaggerating or misrepresenting symptoms and deliberately attempting to make himself unavailable. The most serious finding, the report said, was a recommendation that Imam be banned from representing Pakistan across all formats and at all levels; no such ban was imposed and he continued his international career.

The Lord's incident has reopened those questions, although there is no established evidence that Imam faked his latest calf injury. Imam is set to return to Pakistan on the first available flight from London after missing the Lord's Test.