Haris Rauf in a post match press conference:
Question: Do you want to see Haris Rauf back in the T20I squad, or are you personally targeting this PSL to prove yourself and make a comeback?
Haris Rauf: I view every match and every tournament as an opportunity. There is no doubt that [the PSL] gives you a fresh chance. You go back, work on your game, and sometimes you just need a break. Occasionally, you don’t perform exactly how the fans or the management expect but that happens to every player. Still, I back myself. I believe in my skills. I play in leagues all over the world and I consistently take wickets for my teams. My role is usually to be an attacking bowler and provide breakthroughs. I’ve been playing T20 cricket for seven years now and I’ve always stuck to that approach. I think that’s why teams across the world sign me—they need someone who can take wickets in the middle overs. Taking wickets in the middle is the hardest job; that’s where teams often struggle. Throughout my career, I’ve bowled in the middle and at the death. In my opinion, these are the toughest phases of T20 cricket, and many bowlers try to avoid them. I’ve been hit for runs at times and taken fewer wickets in some games, but I’ve also delivered crucial wickets for the team when it mattered most. My goal is to use this PSL as an opportunity to perform well for my team. Whether I get selected for the national side or not is up to the management; they know best which plan or combination they want to go with.
Question: Congratulations on starting your title defense with a win. There was an interesting development in the first innings—the ball started turning red. Some thought it was due to the color of the Hyderabad [opposing team] kit. The umpires eventually changed it after the 15th over. Have you ever seen a ball change color because of a kit before? Did Lahore Qalandars request the change?
Haris Rauf: I’m not sure who requested the ball change. Regarding the color change, I wouldn’t necessarily say it was because of the kits. The ball went out of the ground several times; it might have hit a chair or something else that caused the discoloration. If the batsmen felt they could see it clearly, they kept playing. Perhaps it was changed once it became too damaged. I didn’t notice it much because I wasn't at the crease. If I had gone out there, I probably would have asked for it to be changed on the very first ball!
Question: Lahore Qalandars went with an all-pace attack today, with Sikandar Raza as the only spin option. Is this going to be the pattern—relying heavily on pace? We saw Mustafizur Rahman join the lineup while Usama Mir sat on the bench.
Haris Rauf: If you look at our bowling lineup, you won’t find a better one even in many international teams. We are blessed with some of the best T20 bowlers. Whether you look at the pace or the spin, even our players on the bench are top-quality and can be called up at any time depending on the conditions. Today, we felt the conditions favored four pacers, so Usama sat out. But we all know Usama is a top-tier T20 bowler. We’ll see what combinations we use moving forward. Generally, it’s bowling that wins you tournaments, and Lahore Qalandars' philosophy is always to field our best possible bowling attack.
Question: It was a flat track yet you and Mustafizur Rehman bowled very well. He conceded only 19 runs in 4 overs. How do you view his contribution?
Haris Rauf: I wouldn't call it a flat track! But look, Mustafizur Rehman is a world-class player. He plays in leagues everywhere and has performed exceptionally for Bangladesh. We are lucky to have him in our bowling unit. You can’t be around a player like him and not try to learn something. I personally try to learn from his experience. Sometimes a small piece of advice or a specific observation clicks for you. I go everywhere with a mindset to learn; that process never ends. I’ll try to pick up new things from him that can help my game.
