The right-arm fast bowler who recently tied the knot is not unknown to anybody. Yes, we are talking about Haris Rauf, who just married Muzna Masood. From playing with tape balls for fun or for local teams that paid him enough to support his studies to playing hardball on a professional level, Haris Rauf has had quite a journey.
Haris Rauf’s Family Background
Haris Rauf was born on November 7, 1993, in the city of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. His father worked as a welder so he could look after his eight children, the oldest being Haris. At times, the family had to even sleep in the kitchen because of the small size of their house. The cash flow was very limited. Even though Haris knew it, he still wanted to go after his dream – playing cricket.
Haris Rauf’s Early Days
In an interview, Haris Rauf revealed that every Sunday, he would go to the market and sell snacks so he could cover his school fees. But just as his educational level was increasing, his fees were increasing, too. The budget was limited, but he found a way out. When he got into university, he worked at a mobile shop as a salesman, but the money was still not enough. So, he started monetizing his passion for cricket. He played for teams that paid him well to play and covered his traveling expenses.
During this time, he was only playing cricket to support his studies and take care of a bit of his expenses. Having a career as a professional cricketer was just a dream. Little did he know that his passion would one day take him there.
Even his parents were not sure of his cricket career; they thought that it would only be possible if they had some strong references or sources, but this later proved wrong after Haris’s selection.
Haris Rauf’s Entry into Professional Cricket
Just for fun, one day, his friends took him to the trials that were being held by Lahore Qalandars all around the country. They traveled all the way to Gujranwala but could not reach the place on time. Somebody asked them to break in, and they did because they were definitely not going back after traveling so much. They mixed in with the individuals who were there to give trials.
When their turns came, they started competing with each other. One of his friends was successful in bowling at 87 mph, so Haris pushed himself and bowled at a good 92.3mph. This was the moment that grabbed the attention of Aqib Javed, and he selected Haris. Just one ball changed his destiny!
A contract was signed, and Haris was taken in for training. In addition to intense training, he was also given a nutrition plan that he had to follow.
He was taken to Australia as part of a program to feature in competitive cricket with Hawkesbury Cricket Club. Right after, Haris made his T20 debut against the Hobart Hurricanes in 2018. Later, he was picked up 1 for 23 in Qalandars’ defeat of Titans in the final of that same tournament. During these matches, he was chosen for PSL. He played his first debut in the 2018-19 season, where he managed to take 11 wickets in just 10 matches.
During the same year, he got a Big Bash Contract. He was sent as a replacement for Dale Steyn since he was suffering from an injury by Sameen Rana, who is one of the owners of Lahore Qalandars. During this season, he became the headline! He bowled with a great pace and became the fourth-highest wicket-taker with 20 wickets when he had only played 10 matches.
Just as he came back to Pakistan after playing his brilliant matches, PCB signed a central contract with him. In 2019, he played against Australia in the ODI Series from the Pakistan Team. Then, in 2020, he played in the T20I against Bangladesh. After giving consistently brilliant performances, he became a regular member of the team and started playing in both short and long formats of the game owing to his amazing fast-paced bowling and wicket-taking ability.
Haris Rauf’s Achievements
During his career as a cricketer till now he has made a true name for himself.
- He is the third-fastest Pakistani pacer who has taken 50 wickets in an ODI.
- He is the first bowler to take 4 consecutive wickets in a T20I.
- He has a strike rate of 25.4 in an ODI, which is the best among all Pakistani bowlers.
Haris Rauf’s Awards
Haris Rauf has won numerous awards for his outstanding performances in both long-format and short-format matches. These include
Conclusion
Haris Rauf has played a total of 93 matches for the Pakistan Team, including 30 ODIs, 62 T20Is, and 1 Test match. Being a brilliant wicket taker, he has managed to take 58 wickets in the ODIs and 83 wickets in the T20Is.
In almost 2 years, Haris Rauf went from being just a normal street cricket player to one of the best assets of the Pakistan National Cricket Team. With consistent hard work, he has completely changed the standard of living of his family. His journey is a testament to the fact that to achieve your dreams, you need to work hard and not give up.
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