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Somerset have signed Pakistan batter Imam Ul Haq for their final four County Championship matches of the season.
The 26-year-old replaces Australia’s Matt Renshaw who is returning home to prepare for the upcoming domestic season with Queensland.
Ul Haq has played in 14 Tests for Pakistan with a top score of 157 against Australia earlier this year.
The left-hander has scored more than 3,500 first-class runs at an average of 41.69 with a top score of 202 not out.
He is the third Pakistan player move to Taunton in recent seasons following Babar Azam and Azhar Ali.
“Imam Ul Haq is an outstanding batter who will bring quality and a wealth of experience to our environment,” Somerset director of cricket Andy Hurry said.
“To be able to bring in an established Test match player for the final County Championship matches of the season is a coup for us with so much international cricket being played during this important period.
“We have a long-standing working relationship with the PCB [Pakistan Cricket Board] and we are grateful to them for their assistance in helping us to sign a player of this calibre.
“We are genuinely excited about what he will add to the club both on and off the field.”
Although through to home quarter-final in the T20 Blast, Somerset are currently in a relegation fight in Division One of the County Championship, sitting second from bottom, 20 point behind Northamptonshire with seven games remaining.
Ul Haq will be available for the final four red-ball matches in September against Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire and Kent.
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