Mohammad Hafeez: “Haris was [the] first choice in [the] recent Test tour to Australia but he said he is unavailable due to personal reasons”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan team director and interim head coach Mohammad Hafeez has confirmed that fast bowler Haris Rauf was the “first choice” for the three-match Test series against Australia, but made himself unavailable for selection.
According to chief selector Wahab Riaz, Rauf pulled out of the tour due to concerns about his workload, even though he was given assurances that he would only bowl 10 to 12 overs per day.
Instead, the 30-year-old went on to play for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League (BBL).
“Haris was [the] first choice in [the] recent Test tour to Australia but he said he is unavailable due to personal reasons,” Hafeez was quoted as saying by journalist Arfa Feroz Zake on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Rauf’s decision to snub the Australia Test series came back to haunt him as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided to terminate his central contract just a couple of days before the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL).
To make matters worse, Rauf only featured in four games in PSL 9 as he suffered a dislocated shoulder.
In the matches he played, the Rawalpindi native took two wickets at an average of 66 and an economy rate of 9.42.
Since he is still recovering, Rauf was not considered for selection for Pakistan’s ongoing five-match T20I series against New Zealand, where the men in green hold a 1-0 lead after winning the second T20I by seven wickets.
The third T20I will be held on April 21 in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan Squad for New Zealand T20I Series: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan
Non-travelling reserves: Haseebullah Khan, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha