The selectors for the Pakistan cricket team have made a change of heart just before the ODI series against New Zealand, bringing Haris Rauf back into the squad. This series, which comprises three One Day Internationals, is scheduled from March 29 to April 5. Initially, Haris was left out of the squad as the selectors aimed to introduce some new talent following a disappointing performance in the Champions Trophy. But now, it looks like he’ll be joining the team as they start their preparations for the series, with reports coming in from the Press Trust of India.
On top of that, it seems that one of the selectors, Aaqib Javed, has also suggested adding a reserve wicketkeeper-batter to the squad. This means either Muhammad Haris or Usman Khan will still have a spot in the ODI lineup as the matchday nears, with the first ODI taking place in Napier this Saturday.
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who were left out for the recent T20I series, are set to return for the ODIs, which is great news for fans of the team. Earlier, Pakistan decided to leave out their main bowlers, Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi, following their average performances in the Champions Trophy. While both players were included in the recent five-match T20I series, they initially didn’t make the cut for the longer format.
However, Haris had a really good showing in the T20s, taking seven wickets. He stood out on pitches that were otherwise easy for batters, despite Pakistan losing the series 1-4 against New Zealand. His impressive performance seems to have made the selectors reconsider their previous decisions. Sadly for Shaheen, he didn’t even play in the final T20I match and still hasn’t earned his place back in the ODI squad.
Looking at the current lineup for the matches in New Zealand, it includes some familiar names: Mohammad Rizwan as the captain, Salman Ali Agha as the vice-captain, and the likes of Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, and Imam-ul-Haq among others. Haris Rauf’s return gives the squad a boost, and fans will be eager to see how the team performs in these upcoming ODIs.
