Haris Rauf Asks Pakistan Batters To Score More To Meet Modern-Day Cricket Demands

Haris Rauf demands more from batters [Source: AFP]

Haris Rauf has been Pakistan's best bowler in the ongoing ODI tri-series, which includes England and Sri Lanka at home. Scoring rates have been berserk, and four of the six innings so far have seen scores of 300 or more.

Despite this, Rauf has been the joint-second-highest wicket-taker in the series, with 4 scalps at a healthy economy rate of 5.27 runs per over. Regardless of these good outings with the ball and Pakistan’s two wins in two matches, Rauf has openly asked the batters to give bowlers something to play with.

Rauf's demand from batters

Ahead of Pakistan's third match of the ongoing tri-series against England, the visitors suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka. The Lankans chased down a whopping 430 in Rawalpindi and showed no score is safe in the modern-day ODI game.

The fast bowler has openly asked the batters to meet the demands of the game and not just get scores of above 300 but also try and topple 350 to keep the bowlers in the game.

"Nowadays, teams are scoring 350 and even 400 runs. We must adapt to these demands, put up bigger totals and find ways to defend them,” Rauf said before defending the openers after they have been unconvincing in the tri-series. "Cricket is a team game, and every player has a role to play."

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Rauf rejoined Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah for the series, having been in and out of the national team for a while. The speedster highlighted the importance of pace bowling in modern-day game, while admitting the bowlers have been taken to cleaners recently.

"Pace remains an X-factor in modern cricket. It is not just me who gets hit for sixes; every bowler in the world goes through it.

Rauf remains available for long formats

Through the years, Haris Rauf has been considered as Pakistan's premier white-ball pacer. He has played close to 100 T20Is and 61 ODIs, heavily relying on his pace being the x-factor for him.

Despite only playing a solitary Test match in 2022, picking 1/78 against England, the pacer has shown interest in representing the Test team again. In the same meet with the press, Rauf said he is still available for selection in Tests, having recently competed in the President's Trophy Grade-I.

Representing Pakistan TV in four matches, Rauf claimed 18 wickets in the season at an average of 20.55 and the best figures of 5/34.

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