Last Update on: November 22nd, 2023 at 01:22 pm
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially stated that fast bowler Haris Rauf will not be penalized for opting out of the upcoming three-match Test series against Australia. Haris Rauf will be considered for selection for the limited-overs series against New Zealand.
Haris Rauf played only one Test for Pakistan, where he recorded figures of 1/78 in 13 overs against England last year. The tearaway pacer had a disappointing performance in the 2023 World Cup, securing 16 wickets with an average of 33 and an economy rate of 6.74.
Players Must Be Represent The National Team – PCB Director Media
PCB Director Media, Aalia Rasheed, confirmed in an interview that Haris Rauf will still be considered for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. She emphasized the importance of being ready to represent the national team in all formats.
“The decision to encourage Haris to play Test matches stems from the belief that players should strive to progress in every aspect of the game, rather than limiting themselves to specific formats,” Rasheed said.
“Players must be ready to represent the national team in all formats, as they are centrally contracted with the board,” she added.
Haris Rauf Pulled Out At The Last Moment – Wahab Riaz
In his first press conference as the chief selector, Wahab Riaz revealed that Haris Rauf initially agreed to play Tests for Pakistan but decided to opt-out at the last minute. Wahab stated that Rauf had given his consent to play Test cricket just two days prior.
“We spoke to Haris and he was worried about his body and fitness, as well as his workload. Mohammad Hafeez and I sat with him and tried to facilitate him in every way. We told him even if he didn’t perform well there, we would accept it. Our physio spoke to him and said he wouldn’t expect any issue or injury. Of course there’s fatigue, but we were sure we could have managed that very well. But he pulled out at the last moment and he made himself unavailable,” Wahab stated.
Pakistan Squad: Shan Masood (c), Aamir 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 and Shaheen Shah Afridi
Also read: “On What Performance…”: Aaqib Javed Bashes PCB For Forcing Haris Rauf To Play Australia Tests
