ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s fast bowler Haris Rauf has expressed his eagerness to get back on the cricket field ahead of the limited-overs series against New Zealand on home soil.
Rauf was rested for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan but believes that the rest has helped him get physically fresh, and his energy levels are better than before.
According to a private news channel, Rauf said that the New Zealand series was important and hoped that the Green Shirts would win it. “The Men’s World Cup is also around the corner, and this series will help us prepare for that,” he added.
Rauf is satisfied with the fact that Pakistan has adequate resources in the fast bowling department, and the competition is increasing for fast bowlers. “Ihsanullah is also a good addition to our national squad,” he said.
He further added that the cricketing world speaks very highly of Pakistani bowlers.
T20 and ODI series against New Zealand
Despite New Zealand not having renowned players in their squad, Rauf said they still have players with international experience, and Pakistan is not taking them lightly. Pakistan has named a strong squad for the series, with Babar Azam leading the team in both T20Is and ODIs.
The T20Is will start at 9 pm, and the ODIs will begin at 3:30 pm.
The series will commence with the first T20I on April 14 in Lahore, followed by the second and third T20Is on April 15 and 17, respectively, in Lahore. The fourth and fifth T20Is will be played in Rawalpindi on April 20 and 24, respectively. The ODI series will start on April 26 in Rawalpindi, followed by the second ODI on April 30 in Karachi.
The third ODI will be played on May 3 in Karachi, followed by the fourth and fifth ODI on May 5 and 7, respectively, in Karachi.
Pakistan T20I squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Nawaz, Shan Masood, and Zaman Khan.
Pakistan ODI squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Ihsanullah, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood, and Usama Mir. Reserves: Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, and Tayyab Tahir.
