Pakistan’s Ahmed Shehzad, known for his outspoken nature, has once again stirred controversy with his remarks on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). This time, he has aimed at the selection of Imam-ul-Haq for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, criticizing the board’s inconsistency in squad selection. Imam was a late addition to the team after Fakhar Zaman was ruled out due to injury, leaving Pakistan with limited opening options ahead of their high-voltage clash against India.

Pakistan’s initial squad had only one designated opener in Fakhar Zaman, with the expectation that Babar Azam would move up to partner him. However, Fakhar’s injury disrupted those plans, forcing the selectors to draft in Imam, a decision that has raised eyebrows. Shehzad, during an appearance on Hasna Mana Hai on Geo News, acknowledged Imam’s strong domestic form but questioned the PCB’s logic in recalling a player they had previously sidelined for non-cricketing reasons.

“If you look at Imam’s recent form in domestic cricket, he has been in good touch. When we initially selected just one opener, many experts argued that Imam deserved a place. Now that we suddenly need an opener, he is being brought in,” Ahmed Shehzad pointed out.

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However, Shehzad went a step further, claiming that Imam’s exclusion from the national team was never about his performance but rather disciplinary concerns. He alleged that Imam had a history of leaking private team discussions to the media and his personal contacts, which led to his omission from the squad.

“The issue wasn’t his batting but his discipline. It was said that Imam used to share dressing room conversations with outsiders, including the media and friends. That’s what we heard, though we can’t confirm if it’s true or not. But that was the reported reason behind his exclusion,” Ahmed Shehzad added.

Further criticizing the PCB, Shehzad accused the board of applying inconsistent selection policies. He argued that if Imam had been sidelined due to disciplinary issues, then the same standard should have been maintained instead of recalling him out of necessity.

“If you take a strong stance, you must stick to it. It shouldn’t be that you initially go with just one opener and then, when a need arises, bring back a player who was previously dropped due to off-field concerns,” Ahmed Shehzad remarked.

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Imam-ul-Haq’s last international appearance came during Pakistan’s Boxing Day Test against Australia in December 2023, where he struggled and was subsequently dropped. Since then, he has been out of the squad in all formats until this sudden recall for the Champions Trophy.