Fast bowler Haris Rauf has been declared fit and will be available for the team’s ICC Champions Trophy opener against New Zealand on Wednesday, according to reports from Dawn News.
Haris had been sidelined with a muscular strain in his lower chest wall, an injury he sustained during the very first fixture of the tri-nation series against New Zealand. He was subsequently ruled out of the mini-tournament, with Akif Javed taking his place.
However, a source close to the Pakistan team confirmed that Haris has recovered in time to feature in Pakistan’s lineup once again. “Haris is completely fine now. The rest given to him after the first match of the tri-series has helped him recover well,” the source stated, adding that there are no fitness concerns for any other player in the squad.
The availability of Rauf is a major boost for Pakistan, given his role as a strike bowler in the middle and death overs. Without Haris in the tri-nation series, Pakistan struggled to take regular wickets, with his replacements Mohammad Hasnain and Faheem Ashraf failing to trouble the batters. With Haris Rauf back, Pakistan can launch a fresh bid to retain their Champions Trophy crown.
As the opening fixture draws near, Pakistan will be eager to bounce back against the Kiwis after losing two consecutive games to Mitchell Santner’s men in the past week. A victory against their recent tormentors will give them more confidence in their quest to win their second Champions Trophy in a row.