Haris Rauf Considered Retirement From International Cricket After Being Criticised For Opting Out of Australia vs Pakistan Test Series: Report
When Pakistan left for the tour of Australia immediately after ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Haris Rauf refused to join and received much criticism. It has been recently reported that Rauf considered retirement following the criticism.
Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf had lot of responsibilities to deliver for his team in the absence of Naseem Shah as Pakistan played in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Rauf had a really poor outing in the World Cup where he failed to pick wickets and was also very expensive. He started most of his spells poorly, releasing pressure from the batters. Pakistan and their captain Babar Azam struggled with their premier fast bowler neither peaking wickets and giving away too many runs. Pakistan failed to make it to the semifinal of the competition. They had to leave for the tour of Australia immediately after, which Haris Rauf refused to join and received much criticism. It has been recently reported that Rauf considered retirement following the criticism. Fan Runs Away With the Ball After Fakhar Zaman’s Massive Six Lands Outside Stadium During NZ vs PAK 2nd T20I 2024, Video Goes Viral.
Haris Rauf had a clash with newly appointed Pakistan selector Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Hafeez over his availability for the tour of Australia. Prior to the Australian tour, Mohammad Hafeez, the team director of the Pakistan cricket team, criticized Haris Rauf's decision to withdraw from the Test series in Australia. Addressing the media before the tour, Hafeez provided insights into Rauf's initial hesitation and subsequent change of heart.
A report by local media outlets and Cricket Pakistan also mentioned that former director Mickey Arthur, recognizing Rauf's exceptional pace, actively tried to persuade him to join the Australia tour during the 2023 World Cup. Arthur emphasized Rauf's importance as a key asset, expressing a keen desire to see him in action against Australia in Test matches. Despite Arthur's efforts, Rauf consistently rejected the proposals, citing his limited experience in first-class cricket and concerns about potential injuries. 'Khamosh Rahe, Khelne De' Angry Iftikhar Ahmed Responds After Spectator Calls Him 'Chachu' During NZ vs PAK 2nd T20I 2024, Video Goes Viral.
Rauf faced huge criticism from fans and followers alike and the report revealed that Haris Rauf thought to pull the curtains down on his international as he was unable to bear the criticism. However, Rauf reversed the decision after consulting friends and family. He applied for the NOC of BBL 2023-24 immediately after and joined Melbourne Stars.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 15, 2024 03:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).