Pakistan team director, Mickey Arthur, has finally responded to a controversial tweet by Imam-ul-Haq before the fifth match of the ODI series against New Zealand.

In an interview, Mickey Arthur said that there was nothing negative about excluding the left-handed batter from the playing XI for the last two encounters of the series.

Arthur revealed that Imam had felt hamstring pain after the third game, and the management was unsure whether he would be able to play in the fourth and fifth games.

Arthur, who was appointed national team director last month, added that he had personally contacted the opening batter after the matter and clarified everything.

“Imam and I have a great relationship. He is a wonderful guy and I love him. Let’s just say there was a lot of love in that conversation and a little bit of bamboo as well,” he added.

Just hours before the last encounter of the series, Imam wrote on Twitter, “Life is an unexpected journey, so never expect anything from anyone. Be patient, Allah is watching!”

The cryptic post created controversy on social media and raised questions over the selection as Imam had won the Man of the Match Award in the third ODI for his fifty.

When Babar Azam was asked about the tweet, the captain said that he had not seen what Imam had posted as he had not checked social media.

Last week, Rashid Latif said that it was the decision of Imam to take a rest in the fourth game while the management was keen to include Shan Masood instead of Fakhar Zaman.

Source: Pro Pakistani