Melbourne Stars Big Bash gun Haris Rauf selected by Pakistan for T20 series against Bangladesh
Plucked from grade cricket by the Melbourne Stars as a stopgap for an injured Dale Steyn, Haris Rauf has been the been the find of the Big Bash. And his country has taken notice. That spells bad news for the ladder leaders.
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The rise and rise of BBL sensation Haris Rauf has continued, the express paceman included in Pakistan’s squad for a Twenty20 series against Bangladesh.
Rauf was plucked from grade cricket in Tasmania at the start of the season, when Melbourne Stars were searching for a stopgap measure to cover injured spearhead Dale Steyn on a short-term basis.
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He has since established himself as one of the best bowlers in the competition, snaring 16 wickets at 11.56 while piloting Stars to the top of the table.
But the 26-year-old’s stint with the Stars will be interrupted by his call-up for the T20 series, which features matches on January 24, 25 and 27 in Lahore.
Rauf, who is in line to make his international debut against Bangladesh, will miss the Stars’ final game of the regular season on January 25. The BBL finals run from January 30 until February 8.
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Stars skipper Glenn Maxwell is among those to have heaped praise on Rauf, who was the club’s hat-trick hero a week ago at the MCG.
“There’s a few teams we haven’t played, so there’s still an opportunity to have that fear factor in the back of their mind before they play against us,” Maxwell said.
“If he keeps taking wickets like that, they have every right to be fearful. “Haris brings something different – an electric youth, that unknown and you’re not really sure what’s going to happen.”
Originally published as Melbourne Stars Big Bash gun Haris Rauf selected by Pakistan for T20 series against Bangladesh