Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi has come to the defense of Haris Rauf after the bowler faced criticism for his performance in the third T20I against New Zealand. Rauf conceded 60 runs in the match, his most expensive figures in T20Is, as Pakistan suffered a 45-run loss.
Despite the disappointing performance, Afridi defended Rauf, calling him Pakistan’s best T20 bowler and dismissing the criticism as part of the game. Afridi highlighted that when the team wins, Rauf is praised, but when they lose, he becomes the target of criticism. He also pointed out that even top bowlers like Matt Henry had conceded 50-plus runs in the match, suggesting that it’s a common occurrence in cricket.
Afridi stated, “Haris Rauf is our best T20 bowler. When we win you rate him as the best, but when we lose then he is the problem.”
Rauf’s struggle against New Zealand was evident as he faced a barrage of boundaries from Finn Allen, who scored a blistering century in the game. Allen took advantage of Rauf’s bowling, hitting him for multiple sixes and fours, which contributed to Pakistan’s defeat.
Despite Afridi’s defense, Rauf’s performance has raised concerns, especially considering his recent form and decision to not play in the Test series in Australia. With the pressure mounting on Rauf, his future performances will be closely watched as Pakistan looks to bounce back in the T20I series against New Zealand.
The loss in the third T20I has put Pakistan in a challenging position, needing to win the remaining matches to keep the series alive. New Zealand’s strong batting performance, led by Finn Allen‘s century, proved to be too much for Pakistan, who fell short in their chase.
The upcoming matches will be crucial for both teams as they aim to secure victory in the series. Rauf’s performance will be under scrutiny, and Pakistan will be looking for a strong comeback to turn the tide in their favor.
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