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Imam-Ul-Haq Press Conference | Pakistan vs South Africa Test Series 2025 | 1st Test Day 1
On Day 1's Play and Missing the Century
"When Saud and I got out, I felt South Africa had made a strong comeback. But the partnership that Rizwan and Agha built after that was, I believe, extremely important for Pakistan."
"Yes, it's disappointing to miss a century, but that’s just part of the game."
On His Comeback and Issues
"To be honest, I didn't work on my discipline at all, because no one from the management ever spoke to me about any such issue. I only ever heard that kind of talk in the news on TV."
"Regarding the comeback, you know I've never been keen on discussing it. Being out of form, dropped from the team, or being selected—I think this is the life of a cricketer."
"My goal was always to deliver notable performances wherever I played, whether it was domestic cricket or county cricket."
On Batting Development and Process
"I felt that the ability to win matches was a missing element in my batting, whether it was in ODI, Test, or any other format. I've definitely worked on that: how to win matches for Pakistan and develop my shot-making."
"We have a slight issue where we often miss out on converting starts. For example, if my 93 today had been 150, that kind of score takes the match away from the opposition."
"There is no scripted approach in cricket. I was scoring off the fast bowlers, so I kept going. When the spinners came on, Shan was getting the strike, so he was hitting the boundaries."
"As a batsman, when you're in form, you feel confident internally that you're hitting the ball well and things are flowing. I don't overthink things; I just watch the ball and try not to change my process."
On Pitch Conditions and Adaptation
"We are expecting more spin because both teams know we aim to prepare spin-friendly wickets, which is why they have brought so many spinners. We expect it to turn more on the third or fourth day."
"When the pitch starts breaking up and developing patches, I think it will get tougher for the batsmen, especially in the second innings."
"As professionals, if we don't adapt, I don't consider us professional athletes. Our job is to prepare for South Africa's green wickets or Sri Lanka's spin tracks. If you are selected from millions of people in Pakistan, your primary job is to prepare for the conditions to ensure a high success ratio."
On the Target and Fan Support
"I would like Rizwan and Agha to play a long innings tomorrow to help us score over 400. I think that will be a very good total on this kind of wicket."
"The first 30 to 45 minutes of play tomorrow will be extremely crucial for both us and them."
"It's a great initiative by the board [free entry]... I believe the more Test cricket becomes popular among the Pakistani people, the better it is. It is the real form of cricket, and good performances here give us confidence as players and as a nation."
On Day 1's Play and Missing the Century
"When Saud and I got out, I felt South Africa had made a strong comeback. But the partnership that Rizwan and Agha built after that was, I believe, extremely important for Pakistan."
"Yes, it's disappointing to miss a century, but that’s just part of the game."
On His Comeback and Issues
"To be honest, I didn't work on my discipline at all, because no one from the management ever spoke to me about any such issue. I only ever heard that kind of talk in the news on TV."
"Regarding the comeback, you know I've never been keen on discussing it. Being out of form, dropped from the team, or being selected—I think this is the life of a cricketer."
"My goal was always to deliver notable performances wherever I played, whether it was domestic cricket or county cricket."
On Batting Development and Process
"I felt that the ability to win matches was a missing element in my batting, whether it was in ODI, Test, or any other format. I've definitely worked on that: how to win matches for Pakistan and develop my shot-making."
"We have a slight issue where we often miss out on converting starts. For example, if my 93 today had been 150, that kind of score takes the match away from the opposition."
"There is no scripted approach in cricket. I was scoring off the fast bowlers, so I kept going. When the spinners came on, Shan was getting the strike, so he was hitting the boundaries."
"As a batsman, when you're in form, you feel confident internally that you're hitting the ball well and things are flowing. I don't overthink things; I just watch the ball and try not to change my process."
On Pitch Conditions and Adaptation
"We are expecting more spin because both teams know we aim to prepare spin-friendly wickets, which is why they have brought so many spinners. We expect it to turn more on the third or fourth day."
"When the pitch starts breaking up and developing patches, I think it will get tougher for the batsmen, especially in the second innings."
"As professionals, if we don't adapt, I don't consider us professional athletes. Our job is to prepare for South Africa's green wickets or Sri Lanka's spin tracks. If you are selected from millions of people in Pakistan, your primary job is to prepare for the conditions to ensure a high success ratio."
On the Target and Fan Support
"I would like Rizwan and Agha to play a long innings tomorrow to help us score over 400. I think that will be a very good total on this kind of wicket."
"The first 30 to 45 minutes of play tomorrow will be extremely crucial for both us and them."
"It's a great initiative by the board [free entry]... I believe the more Test cricket becomes popular among the Pakistani people, the better it is. It is the real form of cricket, and good performances here give us confidence as players and as a nation."
