Haris Rauf explains his nickname '150'

Fast bowler Haris Rauf has revealed that his nickname among teammates is a rather odd looking numerical "150", for his ability to hit the said speed with his bowling.

Rauf, who’s been selected in the Pakistan squad for the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh, made the revelation in a press release issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

"Nobody calls me Haris in the Northern team," Haris is quoted as saying, "everyone refers to me as 150 and I even write 150 in my autographs."

Rauf was still playing tape ball cricket for passion as late as just two years ago. His life changed with a trial for Lahore Qalandars’ talent hunt programme where he turned heads with his raw speed.

Since then he has gone from strength to strength, first playing for the Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League before starring in the ongoing Big Bash League. The latest peak of his career has seen him make the national squad.

Well aware that if he were to progress, he would have to bowl as fast as he can, Rauf says he used to have half a dozen eggs daily to build up strength.

Despite his meteoric rise that has catapulted him from street cricket to world class stadiums in no time, Rauf remains adamant that he neither gets fazed nor feels any pressure of the limelight.

Even when he played alongside his idol Dale Steyn for Melbourne Stars in BBL and eventually replaced him, Rauf said he was not overtaken by the responsibility.

Read more: Playing for Pakistan in front of home fans brings no added pressure: Haris Rauf

"I was extremely delighted to know that I was going to play with Dale Steyn as he is my idol," he told PCB. "Sharing the dressing room with him helped me a great deal as I got to work on my outswing with him. We had a couple of net sessions in which he taught me how to control it."

"But there was no pressure. In fact, it was a proud moment for me that I was replacing my idol. I wanted to fill in his shoes and bring out the performances which the team had expected from him."