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"You Didn't Watch The Match": Haris Rauf Fires Back At Journalist Over Pakistan’s Fielding

Rajgeeta Yadav

Haris Rauf gets angry [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/X.com]Haris Rauf gets angry [Source: @mufaddal_vohra/X.com]

On August 29, Pakistan started their T20I tri-series campaign in Sharjah with a strong win against Afghanistan. Batting first, Pakistan put up 182 runs for 7 wickets in 20 overs, thanks to Salman Agha’s steady half-century. 

Later, Afghanistan fell short by 39 runs, getting bowled out for 143. The star of the night was fast bowler Haris Rauf, who picked up 4 wickets for 31 runs, including a brilliant double-wicket maiden.

Haris Rauf gets angry over journalist’s question on Pakistan’s fielding

However, the real drama unfolded after the match during the press conference. A journalist suggested that this tri-series was just a practice run for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which will also be held in Sharjah. 

Haris Rauf immediately disagreed, saying that no international match can be treated as a warm-up. 

"You are saying it was a practice match, but in my opinion, no international match is ever just preparation. An international match always comes with pressure, and you can’t play it casually. Whatever your best XI or team is, you try to execute the given plans accordingly," he said.

As the conversation continued, the journalist added that Pakistan’s fielding had been poor. This remark clearly annoyed Rauf, who responded sharply. 

"I think you might not have watched the match properly. We didn’t make such mistakes in our fielding. Maybe if you review it again, you will see that the match actually looked good,” he said.

Meanwhile, on the field, Pakistan have had shown both strength and resilience. Salman Agha’s 53 off 36 balls gave the innings a solid base. 

Later, quick cameos from Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf pushed the total past 180. When Afghanistan came to chase, they started well through Rahmanullah Gurbaz, but Pakistan’s bowlers soon took control. The turning point was Haris Rauf’s fiery over, where he dismissed two Afghan batters in quick succession.

Although Rashid Khan fought hard with a blazing 39 off just 16 balls, his dismissal ended Afghanistan’s hopes. Pakistan’s bowling unit, led by Rauf and supported by Shaheen Afridi, Nawaz, and young spinner Sufiyan Muqeem, wrapped up the win comfortably.