The cricketing world is abuzz with strong criticism from former Pakistani legends directed at pacer Haris Rauf after his expensive performance in the Asia Cup final against India. Rauf conceded a hefty 50 runs in just four overs, a spell that proved pivotal in shifting the momentum decisively in India’s favor when they needed 147 runs to win.
Pakistani veterans are particularly scrutinizing Rauf’s death-over bowling and questioning Captain Salman Ali Agha’s controversial decision to bring him into the attack during such a critical phase of the game.
Former Pakistani batsman Mohammad Yousuf didn’t hold back, expressing deep concern over Rauf’s inability to perform under pressure. ‘We need to acknowledge how many matches Haris Rauf has effectively lost for us at the very end,’ Yousuf stated on Samaa TV. ‘He shouldn’t be bowling the final overs. Remember past World Cups – he’s been hit everywhere. If he had bowled better, the outcome would have been entirely different.’
Adding to the chorus of criticism, former wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal highlighted Rauf’s recurring struggles in high-stakes encounters. ‘Haris Rauf simply doesn’t win the big games for us. We all recall the Melbourne match, where Kohli famously smashed him for two sixes. The captain must understand which bowler is best suited for these high-pressure situations. We keep repeating the same mistakes without learning,’ Akmal lamented on ARY News.
Former Pakistan off-spinner Tauseef Ahmed echoed similar sentiments, questioning why such crucial blunders seem to consistently plague Haris Rauf. ‘We often say anything can happen in cricket. But why does it only happen with Haris Rauf in these scenarios? We have other bowlers available. It’s time to put an end to the overwhelming influence of franchise cricket. Only Haris Rauf could have delivered such a costly spell, not Hasan Ali or any other young talent. We’ve all been hit for runs in our careers, but not with this consistent pattern,’ Ahmed asserted.
The match truly turned when Rauf was introduced for the 15th over. Up until then, the spinners had successfully kept India in check, conceding only 13 runs in three overs. However, Rauf’s entry saw him give away a staggering 17 runs in that single over, decisively handing the momentum to India.
Former fast bowler Mohammad Amir sharply criticized this tactical misstep. ‘It was a grave error to give Rauf that over. The spinners had built significant momentum for our side. But then they replaced spinner Saim with the fast bowler Rauf, and that completely flipped the momentum. While he is undoubtedly a wicket-taking bowler, the situation absolutely demanded spinners. We wouldn’t have lost this game. Shaheen and Faheem had bowled exceptionally well in the powerplay,’ Amir explained on his YouTube channel.
Former captain Rashid Latif suggested that other bowling options should have been considered. ‘Haris Rauf should never have bowled that over. Abrar Ahmed should have been given the ball, and when he came back, he needed to change ends, which is crucial for a spinner. Saim could have continued, or we could have utilized Mohammad Nawaz more effectively,’ Rashid remarked on Geo News.