Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf sparked a fresh controversy on Tuesday when he lost his cool and got into a confrontation with a fan in the United States. Rauf was put in the eye of the storm after a video of the Pakistan fast bowler taunting a group of fans went viral. In the video, Rauf was seen retaliating after the fan clearly upset the Pakistan bowler following the Green Army’s humiliating exit from the ICC T20 World Cup.
As pacer Rauf was walking with his wife after Pakistan’s failure to show up on the biggest stage, the cricketer got caught up in an unfortunate altercation. “He must be from India,” Rauf shouted at the fan. “I’m from Pakistan,” the fan replied in the video. Rauf approached the fan despite his wife’s attempts to stop him. Rauf and the fan got into an argument, with the group mocking his mediocre performance at the World Cup.
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Pakistan cricket fraternity reacts to Rauf altercation video
Former Pakistan captain Mohammed Hafeez expressed his support for Rauf and asked fans to respect the player’s privacy. “Fans should know how to respect the boundaries between a cricketer’s personal and professional life. It is basic ethics and a humble request,” Hafeez said. Fast bowler Hasan Ali also spoke out about the video. “I saw a video about Hari @HarisRauf14 circulating online. I would like to remind all my dear cricket fans that criticism can be constructive without being hurtful. Let’s respect the players’ families and continue the discussion in a sensitive manner. Let’s spread love, peace and respect for cricket. We all want Pakistan cricket to grow. Love you all,” the fast bowler added.
Rauf breaks his silence
Rauf also spoke openly about the incident, saying he would “not hesitate to respond” if any of his family members were caught up in it. “As public figures, we are open to any feedback from the public. They have the right to support us or criticize us. But if it concerns my parents or my family, I will not hesitate to respond accordingly,” Rauf said.
Pakistan’s failure in the T20 World Cup
Babar Azam’s Pakistan kick-started their T20 World Cup campaign with a shock defeat to co-hosts USA. After a dramatic win for the USA in a Super Over thriller, the 2022 runners-up suffered a huge defeat to arch rivals India in New York. Though Pakistan bounced back with wins over Ireland and Canada, Rauf’s key players finished behind India and USA in Group A. Top-placed India and runners-up USA advanced to the Super Eight stage, while Pakistan suffered an early exit from the ICC event.
