PAK vs AUS: Haris Rauf highlights Pakistan's shortfall in first ODI against Australia

In the opening ODI clash against Australia, Pakistan’s Haris Rauf shone with his bowling performance, securing three wickets for 67 runs in nine overs. Despite his efforts, Pakistan fell short by two wickets in a thrilling, low-scoring match. Speaking to the media post-match, Rauf acknowledged that Pakistan’s batting was 20-30 runs below par, impacting the bowlers' ability to defend the target effectively.

“We were 20-30 runs short,” Rauf admitted. “It was a low-scoring match, and we tried our best to take wickets and get the result in our favor," he added, praising the resilience of the bowling unit for nearly securing the game.

Rauf also reflected on a missed opportunity for another hat-trick, stating, "I had the chance, but unfortunately, it didn't happen this time. We fought hard and took wickets. We felt we could defend the target." The 30-year-old fast bowler underscored the team’s intent to rectify mistakes, especially in avoiding extra runs in future matches.

“There were errors on our part, and we gave away extra runs. Moving forward, we'll work to avoid such mistakes in the upcoming games,” Rauf emphasized. “When you’re short of 20-30 runs in batting, you have to make up for it in bowling."

He also commended Shaheen Afridi, whose early breakthroughs added pressure to the Australian batting lineup. “Shaheen builds pressure by taking early wickets, like the way he did today," Rauf remarked.

With the series at stake, Pakistan, led by Mohammad Rizwan, will look to bounce back in the second ODI on November 8 at the Adelaide Oval.