Haris Rauf: A New Rawalpindi Express

Rawalpindi has been known to produce world class bowlers such as Shaoib Akhtar and Muhammad Aamir. The recent bowler this city has to offer is Pakistan's cricket team's current fasted bowler: Haris Rauf. 

Haris, who once used to work as a salesman in Rawalpindi, came all the way to Gujranwala in September 2017 to appear in PDP trials by Lahore Qalandars. He used to play street cricket initially, run on the streets, shadow practicing and rolling his bowling arm over. His family was always against the idea of him playing cricket and considered it as a waste of time. Haris used to sneak out from his house to play cricket and used to get scolded for it. He got registered for the trials in Gujranwala and got selected. He clocked at 92.3mph, which was the fastest recorded delivery in the talent hunt program. He was later sent to the Lahore Qalandars Academy, played for Abu Dhabi T20, Quin Series Australia and many other leagues.

Originally from Mansehra, Rauf was born in Pindi in 7 November 1993. Rauf has been playing domestic cricket for a while but made headlines in 2019 when he took a five-wicket haul against Hobart Hurricanes in the Australia's Big Bash League. 

Rauf is known for his fast pace and occasionally bowls above the 150 kmph mark. He is also remarkable in his bowling at death overs. Rauf showed his skill at the 4th T20I against England in Karachi on September 25, 2022 when he took two crucial wickets at the 19th over which were pivotal in Pakistan winning the match.