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According to a report in PTI, star Pakistani fast bowler Haris Rauf, who sustained a muscular strain in his lower chest wall on February 8, has recovered and will be available for the Champions Trophy 2025 opener.
Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has recovered from his injury and will be available for his side’s ICC Champions Trophy opening match against New Zealand on Wednesday. (Picture Credit: AP)
Star Pakistani fast bowler Haris Rauf, who suffered an injury during Pakistan’s first match of the recently concluded tri-series featuring New Zealand and South Africa, has recovered and will be available for selection in the Mohammad Rizwan-led side’s first match of the Champions Trophy 2025. The defending champions will face New Zealand in the tournament’s opener on February 19 at National Stadium in Karachi.
According to a report in PTI, which quoted a source as saying, Rauf has recovered from his injury and will be available for his side’s ICC Champions Trophy opening match.
Haris sustained a muscular strain in his lower chest wall during the Pakistan-New Zealand match at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 8.
“Haris is okay now, and the rest given to him after the first match of the Tri-Series has helped him recover well,” the source said, adding that Pakistan has no fitness issues with any other player.
Since making his ODI debut for Pakistan against Zimbabwe in Rawalpindi on October 30, 2020, 31-year-old Haris has played 46 matches and has 83 wickets to his name. He played a big role in Pakistan’s historic 2-1 win over Australia in the three-match ODI series played Down Under in November 2024.
In the Champions Trophy 2025, Rauf will lead Pakistan’s bowling attack along with Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah.
After facing the Kiwis in the first match at the National Stadium, Pakistan will travel to Dubai to take on India in the second Group A match at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 23. In the last 50-over match played between India and Pakistan, the Rohit Sharma-led side defeated Pakistan by 7 wickets on October 14, 2023, at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
In the last Champions Trophy match played between the two teams, Pakistan hammered India by 180 runs in the final of the 2017 edition played at the Oval on June 18, 2017. Pakistan will be eager to produce a similar performance this year as well, whereas the Indian team will look to settle the score by securing a thumping win over the arch-rivals.
After facing India, Pakistan will face Bangladesh in the third Group A match on February 27 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
