Shoaib Akhtar: “Haris Rauf has a wicket-taking mindset like Shaheen”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Shoaib Akhtar said fellow Pakistan pace bowler Haris Rauf “has a wicket-taking mindset” like Shaheen Shah Afridi.
This aggressive approach and constant desire to have a huge impact with the ball has fuelled Rauf’s rise to the top and earned him his spot in the limited overs squads.
Rauf is able to take wickets through his scorching pace, which can reach speeds over 150 kph, and his ability to swing the ball and generate extra bounce.
“Haris Rauf has a wicket-taking mindset like Shaheen,” Akhtar told Star Sports as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
Rauf and Afridi are both in action in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, with the former having taken eight wickets in five matches at an average of 35.75.
As for Afridi, he has claimed 10 wickets in five games, which includes a five-for against Australia, at an average of 25.10.
Pakistan won their first two World Cup matches against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before suffering three successive defeats at the hands of India, Australia and Afghanistan.
They will now be looking to get their campaign back on track when they take on South Africa on October 27 in Chennai.
Pakistan Squad for 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Hasan Ali