Last Update on: September 28th, 2022 at 03:45 pm
Pakistan will aim to take the lead in the seven-match T20I series against England when the teams lock horns tonight. The series is currently evenly poised at 2-2 with the Men in Green making a dramatic comeback in the fourth T20I, sealing a three-run victory.
After Mohammad Hasnain conceded 24 runs in the 18th over, bringing the equation down to 9 needed in 12 balls – Haris Rauf bowled an incredible penultimate over giving away only five runs while taking two successive wickets.
Shaheen Afridi has much more workload than Haris Rauf, opines Salman Butt
However, Pakistan’s bowling legend Wasim Akram lashed out at the team management for not providing adequate rest to Haris Rauf. Akram had said that the 28-year-old pacer will be “broken” if not given adequate rest, as quoted by Pakistan news channel Geo TV.
Former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt, however, contradicted Akram. On his YouTube channel, Butt insisted that Haris Rauf is not an all-format player and thus, doesn’t have much workload.
“He doesn’t play Tests. He hasn’t even made debut. He has hardly reached double figures in ODIs. He’s only played T20Is. Shaheen had a way more of a workload than Haris, the latter doesn’t even have that big of a run-up. He has a smooth action too,” Butt said.
Haris Rauf is fitter than other bowlers in the team, claims Salman Butt
Butt went on to add, “Haris is fitter than other bowlers. He is stronger. He doesn’t have any workload of multiple-day cricket. Does he have a workload of four overs? I have no idea why he said that. He might be looking at him more closely, or maybe he has a niggle.
“But according to me, I don’t think he has any workload. Yes, during the series, you can rest him for 1-2 matches because he has played four back-to-back games. But you can’t compare him with Shaheen because he is playing all three formats,” Salman Butt concluded.