High-ranking BBL official impressed with Haris Rauf’s T20

Pakistan’s standout pacer Haris Rauf has won hearts abroad, most recently in Australia’s T20 Big Bash League (BBL) with Melbourne Stars. “There is no better example than [Haris] Rauf and the cult following he quickly has built in Australia and with the Melbourne Stars and we’d love to see him back this year,” said BBL General Manager Alistair Dobson in an online news conference. Rauf, who has played in many BBL seasons for the Stars, has 36 wickets, including a five-wicket haul, in 22 matches at 16.33.

According to Cricket Australia’s website, the pacer’s best league figure is 5/27 with an economy of 7.75 in 75.5 overs. Dobson called Rauf a prominent South Asian player in the league and said his Stars performances had raised the bar. “He proved himself with [Melbourne] Stars and has been a tremendous asset to the league,” the BBL rep added. “Players from this [South Asian] region consistently capture the attention of local fans with their exceptional skills.” “We hope to see a large number of South Asian players in the upcoming season,” he said. According to the BBL general manager, the draft will take place in two weeks and “BBL clubs are currently busy planning to strengthen their teams”.