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"Not easy to bowl first": Pakistan ace Haris Rauf embraces tough overs challenge in SL ODIs

Akshita Patel

Haris Rauf shines in ODI series vs Sri Lanka [Source: AFP Photos]Haris Rauf shines in ODI series vs Sri Lanka [Source: AFP Photos]

Pakistan speedster Haris Rauf clinched the Player of the Series award for his outstanding performance against Sri Lanka in the 3-game ODI series. He embraced his new role, which didn’t require him to bowl with the new ball.

In the third ODI against Sri Lanka, Rauf picked up two wickets in his nine overs and conceded 38 runs. 

Interestingly, he wasn’t handed the new ball. Captain Shaheen Afridi started the spell along with Faheem Ashraf. 

Haris Rauf opens up on fresh change in his bowling role

Meanwhile, Haris Rauf walked into the contest at a time when games often begin to drift. And this, according to him, is precisely what he prepares for.

Talking in the post-match presentation, Rauf said the challenge wasn’t easy, but he maintained the composure of a bowler who has embraced the most thankless overs in white-ball cricket.

"It is not easy to bowl first-change. My role is to break the partnerships. Mentally, I am ready for any situation to fit the needs of the team," Rauf said.

Rauf added that in modern-day cricket, 300-run totals are not enough. But at the end of the day, winning matters, and he has to adapt to conditions.

"There is cricket all over the world and 300 is not enough. Runs don't matter, winning the match for the team is important. What the conditions demand, I try to adjust according to that," he added.

That being said, Haris Rauf won the Player of the Series award for taking nine wickets in three ODIs, with 18.33 average and a single four-wicket-haul.

This series will surely boost his confidence, as Rauf is coming off a tough tournament in the Asia Cup 2025, where he wasn’t shown mercy. Moreover, the pacer was banned for two games for making provocative gestures on the field.

Next, Haris Rauf will compete in the tri-series between Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. 

Pakistan clean sweep Sri Lanka

Meanwhile, Pakistan completed a dominant 3-0 ODI series sweep over Sri Lanka in 2025. Salman Agha’s 105* set the tone in the opener, followed by Babar Azam’s superb century in the second ODI that anchored a clinical chase. 

In the final match, Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Rizwan ensured a comfortable series finish after Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Haris Rauf, regularly dismantled Sri Lanka’s middle order. 

Despite security concerns during the tour, Pakistan remained composed, delivering a confident, comprehensive performance that shows their growing strength in home ODIs.