Haris Rauf recalls an incident versus England “changed the game”

• Pakistan beat England by three runs in the fourth Twenty20 international.
• Liam Dawson had scored 24 off the previous over, which Haris had just bowled.

Haris Rauf completed a double. He first bowled Olly Stone with the first ball he faced after having Mohammad Haris catch Dawson at midwicket.

Fast bowler Haris Rauf, who was Pakistan’s game-changer in the fourth Twenty20 international against England, claimed that he had promised himself before bowling the penultimate over that he wouldn’t quit before the final ball is bowled.

When Haris arrived to bowl the 19th over, England just needed 9 from a possible 12. Liam Dawson, who had scored 24 off the previous over by Hasnain, was the target of his bowling. With all eyes on Haris, the pressure was on.

In the 19th over, Haris produced a dot ball, which was followed by a boundary by Dawson as the Englishman discovered the opening toward square. UK needs 5 out of 10.

Many believed that Pakistan’s struggle was done at this point. Then, though, the game was altered.

The game was won by Pakistan by three runs.

Haris said in the episode “Game Changer” that he didn’t want to give up until it was over while speaking to a private channel following one of the best death overs in recent memory.

“I had only one thing in my mind and that was to not to give up, fight till the last ball,” he said.

“I was observing Dawson when he was scoring runs (off Hasnain), I had my plans against him to bowl in the areas where he usually would struggle, I executed my plan and got success and then bowled by best possible delivery to the tail-ender,” the fast bowler explained about the two balls that changed the game for Pakistan.

On NSK’s wicket, Pakistani bowlers had to restrict a total of 166 runs. Haris said that the only plan was to give everything we had.

“Results can go to any side, but we aimed to give our 100%, we didn’t want to fall short of our efforts, we did our best and got the success,” said the bowler who was emerged from a talent hunt program organized by PSL side Lahore Qalandars.

In response to a query, Haris stated that Shaun Tait’s presence in the players’ dressing room has been very beneficial and that he is attempting to learn from the former Australian bowler’s expertise.

The Pakistani pacer said that Tait’s had given him advice on how to utilise pace and bowl yorkers.

He stated that since the series was tied after the Karachi leg, the Pakistani squad is now concentrating on the games in Lahore. He expressed his optimism for more suspenseful contests in Lahore.

Also, he praised the Karachi crowd.

“The crowd in Karachi was special, the way the cheer gives us fresh energy, I am thankful to them. When they come to stadium, they expect better display from us and we always try not to let them down, I hope we’ll continue to make them cheer the moments when we play in Lahore,” he concluded.

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