Sports

Haris Rauf upset with ‘undue criticism’ coming from all sides

Published

8 months ago

Farwa

Haris Rauf believes he is not in right state of mind for Test cricket.
Haris Rauf upset with questions on form.
Pacer wants to focus on limited overs of cricket get ready for Tests.

ISLAMABAD: Following Chief Selector Wahab Raiz’s comments on pacer Haris Rauf’s decision to pull out of the Australia tour, the bowler is “upset over undue criticism” he has been receiving, reported The News on Friday.

The pacer is currently in Karachi for the National T20 Championship but sources close to the fast bowler told the publication that he wanted to be in the best of shape, mentally, physically, and form-wise to restart playing Test cricket.

“Look Haris is upset with those who have unleashed undue criticism on the pacers during the World Cup campaign. Even those who hardly know anything are criticising his form and raising questions about his not picking wickets regularly during World Cup matches.

What a fast bowler requires is to get mentally fit and ready for big-time cricket. Haris believes that he is not in the right state of mind physically and mentally to play Test cricket where you have to stay alert all five days,” a close family source said.

The source shared that Haris was of the view that he should focus on the shorter version of the game to get physically and mentally ready for Tests and other international commitments.

“It is just a matter of months before you see him playing all formats of the game. Currently, he wants to concentrate fully on T20 cricket.”

Earlier this week, Chief selector Wahab Riaz announced an 18-member Pakistan Test squad for the tour to Australia comprising three matches scheduled from December 14, 2023, to January 7, 2024.

Riaz, in his maiden press conference as chief selector, said Haris had assured the cricket board that he would play Test cricket for the national side, but pulled out at the last minute making himself unavailable for the series.

“It is important to inform you about this because people should have clarity about what’s goining on,” Riaz told journalists, highlighting that Rauf had concerns about whether he would have fitness issues if he partook in the tour.

“We have tried facilitating him in every way. Even if he failed in this tour, I was ready to accept it. Our fitness consultant told us that he [Rauf] would not have any issues moving forward.”

“We could have managed the issues […] but he pulled out at the last moment. I believe this will be a set back to Pakistan,” the chief selector explained.

Latest News

Changes to Pakistan’s Test team could be significant for the Bangladesh series.

Published

17 hours ago

Farwa

Major changes to Pakistan’s team are anticipated ahead of the forthcoming Test series against Bangladesh, sources in Lahore have revealed.

As the team gets ready for the series, meetings with the players are planned for next week.

It is predicted that the Test squad would undergo several changes. The team’s lineup is expected to be strengthened by the likely inclusion of Muhammad Huraira. Key players like Faheem Ashraf, Wasim Jr., Saim Ayub, and Nauman Ali, whose contributions are vital to the team’s success, struggle to get a spot on the squad.

Furthermore, according to sources, Imamul Haq or Sahibzada Farhan are anticipated to be added to the team, subject to additional assessment. Furthermore, following a fitness assessment, Amir Jamal and Hasan Ali’s futures will be determined.

The ultimate selection for the Test team will take place following Red Ball head coach Jason Gillespie’s return to Pakistan. The ultimate squad that will play Bangladesh in the forthcoming Test series will be greatly influenced by his assessments and thoughts.

Pakistan is scheduled to visit New Zealand in March and April of 2025, according to the country’s official cricket schedule, which was released earlier this month.

Throughout their visit, the Pakistan cricket team will play three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and five Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) in an exciting series.

The T20I series, which starts at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on March 16, will serve as the tour’s opening event.

Latest News

The PCB will send Wahab Riaz to the Maldives to attend the ICC’s coaching course.

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is scheduled to conduct a two-day High-Performance workshop in Maldives on 29-30 July. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that Wahab Riaz, a retired Test cricketer, and Shahid Anwar, a former international cricketer and current head coach of the National Cricket Academy, will be taking part in the next workshop.

The workshop’s objective is to offer insights into the most up-to-date coaching approaches, as well as strategies for recognising and nurturing talent starting from its early stages.

In addition, Dr. Imran Abbas, the General Manager of Academies, will participate in a four-day training course for ICC Level-2 Tutors in Malé, starting on July 24.

The workshop is an integral component of ICC’s training and education initiative aimed at providing member countries with proficient Level 2 tutors who would subsequently instruct coaches.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) appointed Iqbal Sikander, a former cricketer from Pakistan, and Amin-ul-Islam, a former captain of the Bangladesh Test team, to lead the training.

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Following Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) dismissed Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz from the selection committee on July 10.

Wahab was dismissed from his role as senior team manager, and Mansoor Rana was terminated from his post as team manager.

After being removed, Wahab utilised social media to release a message, expressing his appreciation for his time on the selection committee. He emphasised that he has many thoughts to share but prefers not to engage in finger-pointing or assigning blame.

“Wahab, in the caption of his social media post, expressed that he has a lot to say but does not wish to engage in the act of assigning blame,”

“My tenure as a member of the selection committee for PCB has concluded. I want to inform my fellow countrymen that I have dedicated myself to serving the game I am passionate about with unwavering commitment and honesty. I have exerted maximum effort to improve the state of cricket in Pakistan.”

“Being a part of the selection panel has been a great privilege.” Being part of the seven-member panel responsible for selecting the national team was a privilege. Each member’s vote held equal importance, and we made decisions collectively as a team. We also shared the responsibility of the selection process equally.

Latest News

Pakistan has advanced to the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 semifinals.

Published

3 days ago

Farwa

GreenshirtsWith a 10-wicket victory over the UAE, the Pakistani women’s cricket team advanced to the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 semifinal. Target: 104 runs in 14 overs were pursued by the Greenshirts.

When playing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Pakistani women’s team won the toss and chose to field.

Captain Nida Dar of the Pakistan women’s cricket team remarked, “The bowlers’ performance in the last match was excellent, and the win against Nepal boosted morale.”

Pakistan’s starting eleven remains unchanged.

Dambulla, a town in Sri Lanka, is the site of the match.