Haris Rauf after picking wickets vs AFG (Source:@ShakeelktkKhan/X.com)
Haris Rauf has been one of Pakistan's premier pacers in the last few years. He has raw pace and is a genuine wicket-taker who can completely change the game on his day. Now, against Afghanistan in the curtain raiser of the tri-series in the UAE, Rauf has once again displayed his special skills.
Afghanistan Lose Their Way After Haris Rauf's Special Over
The right-arm speedster went for 12 runs in his opening over but came back strongly when his captain brought him back after the halfway mark. In the 12th over of the innings, Haris Rauf, without conceding a single run, removed well-set Sediqullah Atal and new batter, Karim Janat, to completely change the momentum of the match.
Afghanistan were going along nicely till that point with 93-2 in 11 overs. However, those two wickets triggered a collapse and Afghanistan were soon reduced to 97-7. Talking about wickets, the first one of Sediquallah Atal came off a slower delivery. It was an off-cutter outside off and the young left-handed batter ended up slicing it towards third man, where Shaheen Afridi ran forward to take a fine catch.
The second wicket of Karim Janat came on the last ball of the over. It was a full delivery on the pads, and Janat flicked it towards deep backwards square leg. He timed it well but ended up hitting it straight to Hasan Nawaz in the deep, and in the process, Haris Rauf completed a rare double-wicket maiden over in T20Is.
Pakistan Bowlers Dominate In Sharjah
The spinners, Sufiyan Muqeem and Mohammad Nawaz, got three quick wickets between them after that over, and Afghanistan lost their way completely. They are chasing a target of 183, which Pakistan posted courtesy of a brilliant, unbeaten fifty by the captain, Salman Ali Agha.
It was a good total on a sluggish Sharjah pitch, and now Pakistan bowlers with a strong performance are proving their captain's call of batting first absolutely right.
