PAK vs NZ: "I Don't Know.."- Mohammad Haris Reacts AngrIly After Being Left Out Of Pakistan T20 Squad
Published - 12 Jan 2024, 11:38 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:25 AM
Pakistan batter Mohammad Haris opened up about his exclusion from the upcoming five-match T20I series in New Zealand. Mohammad Haris emphasized his commitment to performing well in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to seize opportunities in the future.
The upcoming T20I series is scheduled to kick off in Auckland on January 12. The second and third T20I matches will take place in Hamilton on January 14 and Dunedin on January 17, while Christchurch will host the fourth and fifth T20Is on January 19 and 21.
Shaheen Afridi is set to begin his T20I captaincy tenure with this series. Wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan has returned to the team following his impressive performances in the National T20 Cup. Mohammad Haris has been excluded from the squad for this series.
There Are Ups And Down – Mohammad Haris
Despite being unaware of the specific reasons for his omission, Mohammad Haris expressed that exclusions are a natural part of the game. Haris viewed it as a chance for self-improvement, stating that such experiences make a player stronger.
“Even I don’t know when and where I performed badly [in T20Is]. There are ups and downs. Sometimes, players in the backup perform better than you, so they deserve a chance. It is healthy competition and I hope to perform well in PSL and grab the opportunity,” Haris said.
“I am not sad about being dropped as this is part of the game. These things make you stronger. I have gotten time to analyze my mistakes and improve my skillset,” he added.
Haris last represented Pakistan in a T20I match against New Zealand in April of last year. The 22-year-old batter fell short of expectations with the bat in the format. Overall, he played nine T20I matches, scoring 126 runs at a dismal average of 14 and a strike rate of 127.27.
We Have Rested Mohammad Haris For This Series – Wahab Riaz
Chief Selector Wahab Riaz explained that Mohammad Haris was rested from the series, emphasizing that he is a part of their plans. Riaz mentioned that the decision was made to provide opportunities to some domestic performers.
“We have rested Mohammad Haris for this series. We know his capability and he is part of our plans going forward. There were some domestic performers in First Class cricket who we wanted to give a chance and increase our pool of players, so we rested Haris from this tour,” Riaz said, as quoted by PCB.co.pk.
The Pakistan squad includes promising players like Haseebullah and Aamer Jamal. Haseebullah showcased an admirable performance during the National T20 Cup. Aamer Jamal emerged as the second-highest wicket-taker during his debut Test series in Australia.
Pakistan Squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Zaman Khan, Aamir Jamal, Azam Khan (wk), Sahibzada Farhan, Haseebullah Khan (wk) and Abbas Afridi.
