Haris Rauf breaks silence on T20 World Cup squad exclusion speculation

Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has broken his silence amid speculation over his potential exclusion from the T20 World Cup 2026 squad, saying that while missing out would be disappointing, it would not mark the end of his career.

Reports had previously suggested that the right-arm pacer might not be included in the lineup for the upcoming tournament, as white-ball head coach Mike Hesson was reportedly not in favour of his selection.

"If I am not included in the T20 World Cup, it would be disappointing, but it will not be the end of my career," Rauf said in a recent interview.

He added that he remains focused on improving his performance and refining his bowling. "I will give my best performance and continue to work on my bowling," he noted.

Rauf also extended his best wishes to the national team for the tournament, emphasising his continued support for his teammates. 

"I have good wishes for the national team in the T20 World Cup," he said.

Reflecting on the growth of cricket in Pakistan, Rauf praised the Pakistan Super League (PSL), calling it a major tournament attracting increasing international interest. 

"The PSL is becoming a big league, and more foreign players will come to Pakistan," he stated.

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 the death overs is not easy," he said, adding that criticism of players should not be confused with mistreatment. "There is a difference between criticism of a player and ill-treatment of a player," he explained. 

He further noted that he has been performing consistently since the Asia Cup.

A few days ago, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) submitted a preliminary list of players to the ICC for the T20 World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. 

Sources indicate that the PCB can make changes to the list without ICC approval until January 31.

Probable squad members include captain Salman Ali Agha, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Usman Khan and Abrar Ahmed. 

Others under consideration are Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Salman Mirza, and Khawaja Nafay, while Abdul Samad, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Usman Tariq are likely to be named among the reserves.

Pakistan, the 2009 champions, will begin their T20 World Cup 2026 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 match.

It is pertinent to note that Pakistan will play all of their matches in Sri Lanka, starting with four Group A fixtures in Colombo, while the Super Eight matches are scheduled to be held in Colombo and Kandy.