Babar Azam: “Haris Rauf has given [his] best performances for [the] Pakistan cricket team in T20 since [the] last four years. He is a match-winner”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan white-ball captain Babar Azam has called 150 kph fast bowler Haris Rauf a “match-winner”, saying he has performed well for the last four years.
Rauf is a key member of Pakistan’s pace attack in limited overs cricket as he possesses blistering pace and takes wickets at key moments, especially in the middle overs.
Azam admitted he has been really impressed with the 30-year-old’s performances in T20I cricket, where Rauf has claimed 101 wickets in 71 matches at an average of 20.98 and an economy rate of 8.22.
“Haris Rauf has given [his] best performances for [the] Pakistan cricket team in T20 since [the] last four years. He is a match-winner,” he was quoted as saying by journalist Arfa Feroz Zake on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Rauf has been out of action since he dislocated his shoulder while playing for the Lahore Qalandars in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL).
As a result of his injury, he missed Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand and three-match T20I series against Ireland.
He made his return in the four-match T20I series against England and claimed five wickets in two games at an average of 14.40 and an economy rate of 9.60.
Currently, he is in action in the 2024 T20 World Cup and has snapped up six wickets in three matches at an average of 14 and an economy rate of 7.63.
Pakistan lost their first two games against the United States of America and India before beating Canada by seven wickets.
Unfortunately for the men in green, they will be eliminated in the group stage of the tournament, with their final match coming against Ireland on June 16 in Lauderhill.
Pakistan Squad for 2024 T20 World Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan (wk), Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
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