Why Pakistan’s Haris Rauf bet could end in T20 World Cup 2026 disaster

Haris Rauf [Source: @CricCrazyJohns, @RichKettle07/x]

Betting on raw pace has always been Pakistan’s comfort blanket in international cricket. However, series or high-octane events like ICC tournaments are rarely won on adrenaline alone. As Pakistan’s road towards the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup intensifies, the continued reliance on Haris Rauf as one of nation’s premium fast bowlers could prove to be yet another calculated risk rather than a guaranteed edge.

As the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) assembles its 2026 T20 World Cup squad, here is a look at why investing on Haris Rauf at this stage of his career could be a disaster in the making for the ‘Men in Green’.

Curious case of Haris Rauf: Over-rated or Tactically misused?

As of early January 2026, Haris Rauf last played T20I cricket for Pakistan back in September 2025 during the 2025 Men’s Asia Cup in the UAE. Since then, the speedster has missed Pakistan’s home series against South Africa as well as the entire tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

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Despite his recent omissions, Haris Rauf is still reportedly in PCB’s plans for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. His form and past track record, however, suggest a growing disconnect between reputation and present-day effectiveness.

Worsening Economy Rates in T20Is over the years

Haris Rauf started off his international career in January 2020 with a T20I match against Bangladesh in Lahore. The speedster ended up playing 11 matches in his maiden year of international cricket, scalping an impressive haul of 16 wickets in the process, albeit at an expensive economy rate of 8.65. 

In the subsequent two years, also the years of T20 World Cups in UAE and Australia respectively, Haris Rauf fared well with decent economy rates, and harvested 56 wickets in the 24-month period. While the right-arm quick enjoyed his best T20I phase (in terms of average and economy both) during his five-match run in 2023, fortunes have now turned for the worst in the last two years of his T20I career, conceding over nine runs an over in each year and failing to come up clutch in multi-nation tournaments like 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Men’s Asia Cup.

Haris Rauf economy rates over the years

Expensive economy rates generally should not sit well for any team heading into a major ICC event. In Pakistan’s case, these numbers should invite uncomfortable questions.

Exposing Haris Rauf’s ‘Rich BBL 2025-26’ form

While Haris Rauf has seemingly turned his T20I struggles to a golden patch this BBL 2025-26 season in Australia, a deeper dive into his numbers reflect an entirely different story. Sitting on a pile of 10 wickets after his first five matches of the season for Melbourne Stars, the Pakistani paceman is holding an economy rate of 8.54, and was one of the biggest factors behind his team’s high-scoring defeat against Brisbane Heat on January 2.

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Furthermore, the two wickets he took against Hobart Hurricanes, another three against Adelaide Strikers and one against Sydney Sixers were all victims of low-risk slogging in the death overs. As far as statistics are concerned, the only time Haris Rauf stood up this BBL 2025-26 season was against Sydney Thunder where his three-fer fetched him a ‘Player of the Match’ award.

First 5 matches Haris Rauf stats in BBL 2025-26 (without deeper context)

The 32-year-old flat out fumbled against Brisbane Heat, where his wayward spell of 1-41 in 3.4 overs straight up costed his team a crucial two-pointer.

Haris Rauf’s nightmare run in ICC, Asia Cup events

Known more for his controversial ‘celebrations’ than consistent wicket-taking returns, Haris Rauf’s inclusion in Pakistan team has repeatedly left his captains juggling damage control in the last few multi-nation T20I tournaments like T20 World Cups and the 2025 Asia Cup.

During Pakistan’s runners-up campaign at the 2022 T20 World Cup, the fast bowler picked up just eight wickets in seven innings at an expensive average of 22.25. A couple of years later in the West Indies and USA, Haris Rauf once again proved ineffective, especially against USA that led to Pakistan’s first-round exit.

Haris Rauf in last three major T20I events:

Even during the 2025 Asia Cup, Haris Rauf stirred up tensions with his infamous ‘6-0’ celebrations against India, only for his theatrics to starkly outweigh his actual impact with the ball.

Unless Pakistan and PCB self-reflect its yearning for Haris Rauf’s star power and raw pace, another gamble threatens to repeat a familiar cycle in the upcoming 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

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