LEEDS: Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq reached the 5,000 international runs landmark during the opening day of the first Test against England at Headingley on Wednesday.
The 30-year-old came into the match needing four runs to reach the milestone, having scored 4,996 runs across formats.
His tally included 1,823 Test runs, 3,152 in ODIs, and 21 in T20 Internationals.
Imam reached the landmark in the ninth over of Pakistan’s first innings when he struck Ollie Robinson for a boundary.
Overall, he became the 30th Pakistani batter to score 5,000 international runs, joining former greats including Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Javed Miandad, and Imran Khan.
Imam went on to make 42 before he was dismissed by Josh Tongue in the second session. He now has 5,038 international runs from 107 appearances, at an average of 41.29, with 12 centuries and 31 fifties.
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Pakistan were bowled out for 171 in the first innings as Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson both picked up a five-wicket haul.
Soon after tea, Pakistan collapsed, slipping from 150-6 to 171 all out.
Abdullah Shafique top-scored for the visitors with 61 from 104 balls, including eight boundaries. The highlight of the innings was a 91-run third-wicket stand between Shafique and Imam.
England piled a miserable start on the visitors as they were reduced to 6-2 in only 4.5 overs.
However, Shafique and Imam dug in after a rain interruption and built on their partnership in the post-lunch session.
The pair’s dismissal in a short span of time sparked Pakistan’s collapse, from which they were unable to recover.
In reply, England were solid with the bat as their score reached near the 100-run mark despite the dismissal of opening batters Ben Duckett and Emilio Gay.
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