[Watch] Babar Azam 'Slaps' Haris Rauf During World Cup 2023 Match

image-lng63bwuHaris Rauf and Babar Azam celebrating the wicket [AP]

In a lighthearted moment that stole the spotlight during the ODI World Cup 2023 match between Pakistan and Netherlands at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad, Pakistan's captain, Babar Azam, playfully 'slapped' fast bowler Haris Rauf as he prepared to bowl. The incident was caught on camera and quickly went viral on social media.

Pakistan secured a victory in the match, defeating the Netherlands by a margin of 81 runs. Although the final score suggests a comfortable win, the match was a hard-fought battle, and Pakistan's bowlers, including Haris Rauf, played a crucial role in securing the win.

Batting first, Pakistan posted a total of 286 runs for the loss of all their wickets in 49 overs. Mohammad Rizwan, the wicketkeeper-batsman, played a pivotal role with a solid 68 off 75 balls, and Saud Shakeel contributed an impressive 68 off 52 balls. However, there was a brief batting collapse during their innings.



Watch - Babar Azam slaps Haris Rauf 

In response, the Netherlands was bowled out for 205 runs in 41 overs. Pakistan's bowlers, led by Haris Rauf, displayed exceptional skills to dismiss the Dutch batsmen and seal the victory.

The Pakistani team's next challenge in the ODI World Cup 2023 will be against Sri Lanka, scheduled to take place at the same venue on October 10.