Pakistani fast bowler Haris Rauf has been accused of ball tampering after Pakistan’s unexpected defeat to the United States in the T20 World Cup on Thursday. The allegations were made by US cricketer Rusty Theron, who expressed his concerns on social media.
In a tweet posted on X (formerly Twitter), Theron claimed that Rauf used his fingernails to tamper with the ball during the match. “Are we just going to pretend Pakistan isn’t scratching the hell out of this freshly changed ball?” Theron tweeted, tagging the International Cricket Council (ICC). He questioned how the ball could start swinging drastically after just two overs, implying foul play.
These accusations followed a thrilling match where the US team narrowly avoided defeat, clinching victory in the Super Over. Pakistan is now set to face arch-rival India on Sunday in their second match of the T20 World Cup.
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Captain Babar Azam, speaking to reporters after the defeat, mentioned that Pakistan tends to underestimate less established teams at major tournaments, resulting in subpar performance. “Whenever you come into any tournament, you always do the best preparation,” Babar said.
He acknowledged that the team might relax and take things lightly when facing less formidable opponents. Babar emphasized that failing to execute plans against any team can lead to defeat, regardless of the opponent’s ranking. He noted that while their preparation was solid, the team’s execution during the match was lacking.
Babar also lamented the team’s inability to take wickets in the first half of the US innings. An early 68-run partnership between Mohank Patel and Andries Gous was crucial in the host nation’s chase.
“We are not playing well in all three departments,” Babar admitted. He pointed out that the bowling was not up to their usual standards, particularly the failure to take wickets in the first six overs and the lack of impact from the spinners in the middle overs.
Despite these challenges, Babar credited the US team for their performance in the Super Over, which ultimately led to their victory.
This defeat adds to Pakistan’s history of losing to lower-ranked opposition in major tournaments. Notably, the 2009 champions lost to Zimbabwe in the 2022 T20 World Cup and to Afghanistan in last year’s 50-overs World Cup.
