Following a written apology, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has restored the central contract of Haris Rauf, which was terminated after he opted out of Pakistan’s tour of Australia.
After Haris Rauf’s central contract was terminated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after their New Zealand tour due to his unavailability for the Australian tour citing workload and Big Bash League commitments, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi clarified at a press conference that the decision stemmed from a misunderstanding.
Naqvi announced the reinstatement of Rauf’s contract following his written apology, stating that Rauf expressed his commitment to Pakistan, and the board accepted his explanation. He also emphasized the importance of Rauf’s fitness, particularly considering his injury during the Pakistan Super League (PSL), highlighting the need for proper care.
“After receiving his written reply the board has decided to restore his central contract. So we have decided to restore his central contract. We are also worried about Haris Rauf’s fitness because he was injured during the PSL and we need to take proper care of him,” Naqvi said.
Rauf has been a consistent performer for Pakistan in white-ball cricket, boasting 90 wickets in 66 T20 matches at an economy of 8.2, and 69 wickets in 37 ODIs with an economy of 5.9. However, Pakistan cricket is undergoing a major overhaul after removing Babar Azam as captain after a disappointing 2023 ODI World Cup, where the bowling unit, except Shaheen Afridi, struggled. Rauf, notably, had a subpar performance in the tournament.
With a five-match T20I series against New Zealand starting April 18, Pakistan aims to regroup ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 in June.
Last Updated on March 24, 2024
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