Kamran Ghulam made the headlines on the opening day of the Pakistan vs England 2nd Test for scoring a century on his international debut. Ghulam came in as a replacement for Babar Azam and went on to score 118 runs in the 1st innings. After the brilliant knock, an old video of Ghulam getting slapped by Haris Rauf during the Pakistan Super League match has gone viral on social media.
In 2022, during a match for Lahore Qalandars, fast bowler Haris Rauf slapped Ghulam after the latter dropped a catch off his bowling. Rauf later made amends by hugging Ghulam during a successful run-out later in the match.
A lot of people are giving credit to Lahore Qalandars for Kamran Ghulam.
This is how LQ treated Kamran Ghulam, he got slapped by Haris Rauf live on TV and LQ didn’t even take any action against Rauf tapeia pic.twitter.com/QJuWtYeaQb— yang goi (@GongR1ght) October 15, 2024
Kamran Ghulam's performance eases pressure on Pakistan
On the opening day of the 2nd test in Multan, Pakistan found themselves in trouble early after deciding to bat. England’s left-arm spinner Jack Leach dismissed both openers Abdullah Shafique and captain Shan Masood, reducing the hosts to 19-2. Coming in at number four, Ghulam was under pressure to perform. The right-handed batsman alongwith opener Saim Ayub stitched together a crucial 149-run stand for the third wicket, leading Pakistan’s fightback.
Ghulam dominated the England bowlers with his composed and confident batting display. His innings included 11 boundaries and one six, showcasing his ability to handle both spin and pace effectively. Ghulam became the 12th Pakistani cricketer to score a century on his Test debut, joining a prestigious list of players.
Ghulam’s journey to the Pakistan Test side has been a long one. The right-hander had been knocking on the doors of international cricket for some time, particularly after a record-breaking 2020 domestic season where he amassed 1,249 runs, the highest in Pakistan's domestic history. He finally managed to make the chance count in what could be called his monumental effort.