Stuart Broad criticizes Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq over calf injury: It’s all for show

Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad has questioned Pakistan batsman Imam-ul-Haq’s calf injury and accused the opener of showing off after he was ruled out of the second Test against England at Lord’s. Imam suffered a slight strain on his left calf at the start on the opening day of the second test. The injury came shortly after he dropped two crucial catches, adding to a difficult outing for the Pakistan opener.

He was treated by Pakistan’s medical team before being ruled out of the rest of the Test the following day. His absence left Pakistan floundering for the rest of the match. However, Imam was back in the limelight on Day 4 when he was seen at Lord’s side with his injured left calf taped up. The Pakistan batsman bowled and appeared to be limping as he went through some batting practice.

Stuart Broad’s observation about the imam’s behavior is spot on. It does not question the injury or raise doubts; he simply emphasizes a valid point about the imam’s individual behavior.
Sky Cricket#ENGvPAK #PAKvENG pic.twitter.com/LRgCREQIVg– Kamran Ali (@Kam007Ali) August 30, 2026

Reports from the Pakistan camp suggested that Imam could still go in to bat in the second innings if his team was in desperate need of another batsman. However, Broad did not like the look. Speaking to Sky Sports, the former England pacer questioned why Imam chose to train in full view of the crowd and cameras if his injury was serious enough to rule him out of the Test.

“Did he come out and blow himself up after all that?” Broad said. Broad’s comments also received support from former Australian opener David Warner, who agreed with the former England pacer.

ENGLAND VS PAKISTAN 2ND TEST DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS

“It’s all for show. He’s got a little stick from the media and maybe his teammates. Whatever. You can do it inside the inner school without anyone seeing it, you don’t have to go around in shorts and a belt and hang around like that. I’m not impressed. Sorry,” Broad said.

Broad’s comments added another layer to the controversy surrounding Imam’s injury, especially given the circumstances in which he was ruled out of the Test.

Imam was officially withdrawn from the match after suffering a calf strain while fielding on the opening day. Pakistan were therefore forced to continue without one of their specialist batsmen.

This decision became a point of discussion again when Imam was seen testing his injured leg and taking batting practice before the 4th day game.

While his presence suggested he might be fit enough to bat if needed, Broad objected to the way the practice was conducted rather than simply asking whether Imam was fit to play.

Broad’s criticism also comes against the backdrop of earlier allegations by former Pakistan batsman and chief selector Mohammad Wasim, who has questioned Imam’s injury-related problems in the past.

Recalling the 2022 incident involving Imam during a home Test, Wasim claimed that Pakistan’s physio had warned him of possible developments related to the injury before an official announcement was made.

“The physio actually came to me and told me beforehand,” Wasim said during an online discussion with renowned Pakistani cricket historian Dr Nauman Niaz.

“There hasn’t even been an announcement made and a decision hasn’t been made. I don’t think the player has said anything either. He came and warned me it was going to happen.”

According to Wasim, the situation developed as he was told.

“And that’s exactly what happened. Because of whatever discussions he had, he then said that this had also happened in the past and coaches had complained about similar things,” Wasim added.

The remarks resurfaced amid the latest questions about the imam’s fitness. However, there was no official suggestion from the Pakistan team management that the batsman had fabricated his latest injury.

Imam’s latest setback came during a difficult period for him with the bat as well. He scored 42 and 0 in the first Test against England at Leeds, which Pakistan lost.

Pakistan were now forced to manage their batting resources cautiously as Imam was unavailable for much of the Lord’s Test. His decision to participate in batting practice on Day 4 despite being ruled out only brought more attention to the circumstances surrounding his injury.

– The end

Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

31 Aug 2026 16:27 IST