New Delhi: Pakistan’s veteran pacer. Haris Rauf Listed as his favorite wicket among the 10 wickets he claimed during Pakistan’s historic 2-1 ODI series win over Australia. The series marked Pakistan’s first ODI series win in Australia in 22 years, with a stunning comeback from a 1-0 deficit to win.
Rauf’s electrifying pace played a pivotal role in shifting the momentum in Pakistan’s favor as Australia’s best players struggled to counter his blistering pace. He dominated the speed guns in all three ODIs, finishing with the best wicket. Across Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, Rauf dismissed Glenn Maxwell three times and his blistering pace also caused problems for stars such as Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne.
“My favorite wickets were those of Maxwell and Marnus Labuschagne,” Rauf said while recalling his favorite dismissals in a chat with fellow pacer Shaheen Afridi in a video shared by Pakistan Cricket on X.
Maxwell in particular had no answer to Rauf’s speed and bounce as he faced repeated dismissals.
Rauf explained his approach simply: “The plan was nothing special. When you get those batsmen out, you gain confidence and people start loving you more.”
The series win comes as part of a resurgence for Pakistan, who recently registered their first red-ball series win since February 2021 with a 2-1 Test series win over England.
Reflecting on the atmosphere, Rauf added, “As a team, we really needed this win. Everyone is happy and the team atmosphere is great.”
Following the ODI success, Pakistan’s focus is now on the three-match T20I series against Australia, which will begin on Thursday.
