Azhar Mahmood: “He was the leader of the pack recently and showed his potential”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Ex-Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood said fast bowler Haris Rauf became the “leader of the pack recently” as he stepped up in Shaheen Shah Afridi’s absence.
Afridi, the left-arm quick who is the spearhead of the pace attack, had been sidelined with a right knee ligament injury.
He missed the Asia Cup, seven-match T20 series against England and the T20 tri-series against New Zealand and Bangladesh.
In that time, Rauf took over and “showed his potential” as he picked up wickets regularly.
“He was the leader of the pack recently and showed his potential,” Mahmood told Cricket Pakistan.
In the T20 tri-series, which was Pakistan’s most recent assignment, Rauf finished with six wickets in three matches at an average of 14.66 and an economy rate of 7.33.
The 28-year-old will now be fully focused on the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
Pakistan will begin their campaign against India on October 23 in Melbourne.
Pakistan’s 2022 T20 World Cup squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shan Masood
Reserves: Mohammad Haris, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir