After a brief standoff between PCB management and its pacer, Pakistan’s cricket board (PCB) has granted fast bowler Haris Rauf permission to participate in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) for a limited period.
This decision comes as a resolution to the ongoing standoff between Rauf and the PCB, which stemmed from the bowler’s refusal to join the national team for the upcoming Test series against Australia.
The PCB’s initial disapproval of Rauf’s decision to prioritize franchise cricket over national duty drew criticism from various quarters, including chief selector Wahab Riaz and team director Mohammad Hafeez.
However, the board has now softened its stance, allowing Rauf to participate in the BBL until December 28, 2023. Few days ago, it was speculated that he will not be granted NOC to participate in the Big Bash League.
READ MORE: Haris Rauf Opts Out of Series Against Australia for BBL
This development is seen as a compromise between the PCB and Rauf, acknowledging the importance of both international commitments and opportunities for personal growth in franchise leagues.
Haris, who is set to represent the Melbourne Stars in the BBL, will have the opportunity to showcase his skills on a prominent international stage before potentially rejoining the Pakistan squad for a T20I series against New Zealand in January.
Along with Haris Rauf, young pacer Zaman Khan and leg-spinner Usama Mir will also take part in Big Bash League for their respective teams. Rauf and Mir both played for Pakistan at Cricket World Cup 2023 but failed to impress convincingly with the ball.
PCB has made some big changes in Pakistan Cricket Team
Soon after it was thought that Rauf is more suited for T20 matches and for himself, he needed some recovery time and concentration to elegant his game to a better standard. In last 15 days, PCB has gone through a number of big changes.
The captaincy role has been taken away from Babar Azam and has been handed to Shan Masood. Sarfaraz Khan has been brought back in the team and Shaheen Shah Afridi has been chosen as permanent captain of Pakistan’s T20I team.
Such uncanny decisions rarely produce impactful results. However, it remains to be seen what will happen in case of Pakistan and their upcoming tour of Australia which starts from December 11.
Pakistan last won a test match in Pakistan in 1995 and since then, despite having good touring teams on few occasions, have failed to gain a victory in challenging Australian conditions.
While national team commitments remain paramount, the board’s willingness to accommodate Rauf’s desire for BBL experience signals a more flexible approach to player management.
