Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has broken his silence amid speculation that he may be dropped from the T20 World Cup 2026 squad, saying that while the omission is disappointing, it does not mean the end of his career.
Reports had earlier suggested that the right-arm pacer would not be included in the line-up for the upcoming tournament as white-ball head coach Mike Hesson was said to be not in favor of his selection.
“If I am not included in the T20 World Cup, it will be disappointing but it will not be the end of my career,” Raub said in a recent interview.
He added that he will continue to focus on improving his performance and refining his bowling. “I will play my best and continue to work on my bowling,” he noted.
Raoob also congratulated the national team for the tournament and insisted on continuing to support his teammates.
My best wishes to the national team in the T20 World Cup.
Raub hailed the Pakistan Super League (PSL) as a reflection of the growth of cricket in Pakistan, saying it was a major tournament that would boost international interest.
“PSL is becoming a big league and foreign players will come to Pakistan,” he said.
The 32-year-old also discussed the challenges of maintaining consistency at the international level.
“Whenever I played for Pakistan, I always gave 100%. Bowling in death overs is not easy,” he said, not to be confused with misbehaving players. “There’s a difference between criticizing a player and treating a player badly,” he explained.
He further mentioned that after the Asia Cup, they have been working continuously.
A few days ago, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) submitted the preliminary list of players for the T20 World Cup 2026 co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka to the ICC.
Sources indicate that the PCB can make changes in the list without ICC approval till January 31.
Potential squad members include captain Salman Ali Agha, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Faqar Zaman, Shatab Khan, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Usman Khan and Abrar Ahmed.
Others under consideration include Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Salman Mirza and Khawaja Nafe, Abdul Samad, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Usman Tariq who could be named in the reserves.
2009 champions Pakistan begin their 2026 T20 World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on February 7 in Colombo.
They will then face the USA on February 10, followed by high-profile clashes against arch-rivals India on February 15 and Namibia on February 18 in their final group-stage game.
Notably, while the Super Eight matches will be held in Colombo and Kandy, Pakistan will play all their matches in Sri Lanka, starting with four Group A matches in Colombo.