Aaqib Javed: “Players like Haris Rauf and Shaheen are still good bowlers in T20 cricket. They can deliver better results for the team”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan Director of High-Performance Aaqib Javed is confident that fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf can still be major assets for the national team in T20Is.
He believes both quicks have the skills to excel in the shortest format and has challenged them to “deliver better results for the team” going forward.
Aaqib’s remarks come at a time when Rauf has been left out of Pakistan’s squad for the ongoing 2026 T20 World Cup. In contrast, Afridi remains the spearhead of the pace attack but has struggled for consistency at times.
“Players like Haris Rauf and Shaheen are still good bowlers in T20 cricket. They can deliver better results for the team,” Aaqib was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
So far in the T20 World Cup, Afridi has claimed two wickets in two matches at an average of 35 and an economy rate of 10.
Pakistan won their first two games against the Netherlands and United States of America, and will now take on arch-rivals India on February 15 in Colombo.
Pakistan Squad for 2026 T20 World Cup: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq
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