Mohammad Hafeez: “Haris Rauf went to the chief selector [Wahab Riaz] one evening and I think committed to Test cricket,” Hafeez said. “Then for some reason he didn’t want to play”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez said fast bowler Haris Rauf had initially committed to playing Test cricket before deciding “he didn’t want to play” in the ongoing three-match series against Australia.
Hafeez didn’t explain what caused the 30-year-old to change his mind.
According to chief selector Wahab Riaz, Rauf withdrew from the Australia tour due to concerns about his workload, even though he was told he would only be required to bowl 10 to 12 overs per day.
“Haris Rauf went to the chief selector [Wahab Riaz] one evening and I think committed to Test cricket. Then for some reason he didn’t want to play,” Hafeez was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Pakistan lost the first Test against Australia in Perth by 360 runs before succumbing to a 79-run defeat in the second Test in Melbourne.
They will now look to secure a consolation win in the third Test in Sydney, which gets underway on January 3.
As for Rauf, he is expected to feature in Pakistan’s upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which starts on January 12 in Auckland.
Pakistan Squad for Australia Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Nawaz and Shaheen Shah Afridi
Pakistan Squad for New Zealand T20I Series: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abbas Afridi, Azam Khan (wicketkeeper), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Usama Mir and Zaman Khan
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