Haris Rauf Determined to Overcome Injury Setbacks Ahead of T20 World Cup

Haris Rauf, the Pakistani pacer, made a triumphant return to international cricket in the second T20I match at Edgbaston, following a three-month hiatus due to a dislocated shoulder. His return comes just in time for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

During a press conference prior to Pakistan’s third T20I against England in Cardiff, Rauf reflected on his injury layoff. “I was injured the last few months but if you believe in yourself, then the layoff can be a blessing in disguise,” he said. “Because you have time to recover and reassess your game plans. I felt good coming back to cricket. When you play for your country, it makes you very proud.”

Rauf’s injury occurred in February during the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The injury not only forced him to miss the remainder of the PSL, but also Pakistan’s home series against New Zealand and away series in Ireland.

Rauf made a strong comeback in the second T20I against England at Edgbaston, taking two crucial wickets and conceding 34 runs in his four overs. Despite his performance, Pakistan fell short, scoring only 160 in response to England’s 183.

Discussing the match, Rauf said, “When you lose a game it hurts, but as a team, we are confident. We feel we can beat any opposition on any day. We’ve done it in the past, too. When you make mistakes you learn and try not to repeat those mistakes. We’re looking to play better in the next few games and make a comeback.”

Rauf also touched on the mental challenges of an injury layoff, a sentiment echoed by his colleague Naseem Shah. “It’s hard,” he admitted. “It’s a struggle during your rehab, and it’s difficult when you come back to maintain that pace and accuracy. But if you believe in yourself, it makes things easier. When I wasn’t in the team and rehabbing, I had a lot of time to think about my game and work on myself. Thankfully I’m back now, and the [T20] World Cup is coming up.”

Rauf’s comeback was marked by his dismissal of England captain Jos Buttler, a crucial moment in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final.

Pakistan has played a significant number of cricket matches leading up to the T20 World Cup, with a total of 17 T20Is in 2024 alone. These matches have involved significant experimentation, ranging from changes in the top-order to even a change of captain.

Rauf emphasized the importance of the remaining two games of the England series but insisted that they are much more than just confidence-boosters before the mega event. “Before the [T20] World Cup, if you win a series it gives you confidence, but even if you lose you understand where you made mistakes and you learn from them,” he said. “This series is difficult, but we’ll try to win it. The focus is of course on the World Cup, which we aim to win to make our country proud.”

‘Out of this World’ by Sean Paul and Kes: The official ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 anthem

Limited tickets remain available for all matches in New York, including access to the Premium Club and the exclusive Diamond Club, where fans can rub shoulders with the legends of the game in the best seats in the house. Watch India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh, Canada, Ireland and our hosts USA and be part of history at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium. Visit tickets.t20worldcup.com to get your tickets.