Hayden calls Qalandars’ Rauf, ‘fear factor for batsmen playing against Pakistan’

By
Faizan Lakhani
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The 25-year-old pacer is now considered as Pakistan’s new fast bowling sensation. Photo: PSL

SHARJAH: Former Australian player Mathew Hayden has praised Lahore Qalandars’ emerging talent Haris Rauf and called him a ‘fear factor for batsmen playing against Pakistan’.

Rauf was picked by the Lahore Qalandars from its phenomenal player development program and the 25-year-old pacer is now considered as Pakistan’s new fast bowling sensation.

He got the attention after his fiery bowling in Lahore Qalandars’ PSL game against Karachi Kings last week.

Hayden, who’s currently in UAE to perform his duties as a commentator, is also impressed by Rauf’s talent.

“The talent of the players, guys like Haris Rauf, to be discovered from basically non-traditional development programme and then come to the high level and performing and showing his talent at a higher level, is amazing,” he said in a statement released by the PSL secretariat.

“He (Rauf) is kind of opposition side’s fear for Pakistan. That unknown factor because the reality is that there may be a bunch of fast bowlers who could not have been recognised in Pakistan cricket and to come to the fore in the PSL is amazing,” Hayden added.

Hayden, who played 103 Tests, 161 ODIs and nine T20Is in a glittering career, said that he enjoyed seeing fast bowling talent in PSL.

“Its hard to say how the PSL has been compared to other leagues as I have been to one venue for just four days but the beauty of the PSL is that they do explore the new talent,” he stated.