Imam-ul-Haq ruled out of Lord’s Test after left calf tear
Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq has been ruled out of the Lord’s Test against England after sustaining a left calf tear while fielding on Day 1, reports said.
The match is part of a three-match Test series between England and Pakistan that feeds into the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 campaign; both sides entered the series in the lower half of the WTC table and were described as being in transitional phases with Babar Azam and Joe Root returning to captaincy duties. The series began at Headingley, where England took an early lead, and England were seventh and Pakistan eighth in the points table before the series; Pakistan slipped to the bottom of the table after the Headingley defeat. Pakistan arrived at Lord’s with Babar Azam fit and available for the match after missing the series opener through injury.
ESPNcricinfo reported that Imam suffered what was initially described as a low-grade calf strain while fielding on Day 1, with subsequent scans confirming a tear of the left calf; he began treatment under the supervision of Pakistan’s medical team following the scan findings. The Pakistan Cricket Board had indicated that Imam’s participation in the remainder of the match would depend on his recovery status.
Imam did not bat in Pakistan’s first innings at Lord’s, with former captain Shan Masood promoted to open in his place. By Day 3 of the match Imam was not present at the ground and was subsequently ruled out of the remainder of the Lord’s Test, according to the reports.
Pakistan’s batting has struggled across the series: they were dismissed for 171 and 136 in the first Test and for 110 in their first innings at Lord’s. In WTC play Pakistan have recorded two wins from seven matches and carry a PCT of 19.05% in the 2025-27 cycle.
Medical advice to Imam’s camp was for a 10-day rest period, placing a projected return date around 9 September. The Edgbaston Test is scheduled to start on the 9th, and after the prescribed rest with no practice the reports state Imam could miss the final match of the series.
Imam-ul-Haq played in the first Test at Headingley in August 2026; his availability for the Edgbaston Test is currently uncertain as he recovers from the left calf tear.