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Pakistan's experienced gun Haris Rauf picked his favourite wicket out of the 10 he bagged during their historic 2-1 ODI series triumph over Australia.
After 22 years, Pakistan tasted success in Australia with a remarkable comeback to turn around a 1-0 deficit to a 2-1 series victory. While many individual moments took Pakistan to a historic moment, Rauf's contribution remained unparalleled. With his scorching pace, he singlehandedly shifted the complexion of the series. Australia's established and most talented stars struggled to find a way to effectively negate Rauf's red-hot pace. He tested the speed gun to its limit in the three ODIs and ended the series as the leading wicket-taker. Out of the 10 scalps he bagged in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, Glen Maxwell fell thrice to Rauf's blistering speed. Even the established Test stars Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne were beaten by the sheer speed of the 31-year-old. While recalling his favourite scalp, Maxwell was at the top of his list with Labuschagne right behind him. During a candid chat with his fellow quick Shaheen Afridi, Raud said in a video posted by Pakistan Cricket on X, "My favourite wicket was of Maxwell and then Marnus Labuschagne." Throughout Pakistan's historic success in Australia, Rauf had Maxwell's number. From Melbourne to Perth, venues and scenery changed but Maxwell's story remained the same. The Pakistan speedster breathed fire and made Maxwell live through a nightmare with his sheer pace and the bounce that he got from the surface. "The plan wasn't anything special. When you get such batters out, you get a lot of confidence. When you take such important wickets, people start loving you more," Rauf noted. After suffering from a low string of results, Pakistan have been absolved from its past sins on the back of the recent results. With a 2-1 Test series victory over England on home turf, Pakistan registered their first red-ball series win since February 2021. The Men in Green followed it up with another history-defining moment under the fresh leadership of Mohammad Rizwan. "As a team, we needed this victory. Everyone is happy, and the atmosphere is very good in the team," Rauf said. Following the conclusion of the ODI series, Pakistan will shift its focus on the three T20Is against Australia, beginning on Thursday. (ANI)
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