Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2024 opening match was a forgettable affair on Thursday. In the match’s Super Over, the team lost to the United States in an embarrassing fashion. They were halted at 159, a score that Pakistan had also achieved when they batted first in the game, while chasing a goal of 160 runs in Dallas, USA.
After Nitish Kumar hit Haris Rauf for a four to send the game to Super Over, the hosts needed five more runs to win off the final ball. In the Super Over, Pakistan finished with 13 runs after the USA set a target of 19 runs for them.
Since the loss, the Pakistan cricket squad as a whole has faced scathing criticism, but Salman Butt, the team’s previous captain, has taken aim at bowler Rauf. Rauf gave up 14 runs in the final over, which was needed for the USA to win the game in their pursuit of 160 runs. Rauf bowled a lower full toss with the mid-off within the circle, requiring five runs from the last ball for the home team. In order to send the game into Super Over, where the USA prevailed, Nitish struck the ball over the fielder.
“It is not a surprise that he conceded so many runs because he doesn’t look at his field and bowl accordingly. Mid off is inside the circle and yet he bowls full and gets hit for a boundary on the last ball. You can see the captain also screamed at him. When you have mid-off up, then you don’t bowl full balls. This is a basic of cricket,” said Butt on ‘Cricket Baithak’ podcast.
“He (Haris Rauf) has some weird style when he bowls a ball and just sits on his knees with his hand on his head. It is as if he incurred a loss in shares or someone robbed him. But that is so unprofessional. You never learn anything. They lacked common sense and game awareness,” he added.
Taking about the match Haris Rauf gave away 37 runs in his 4 over quota picking up only 1 wicket.
