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Pakistan tearaway Haris Rauf had a bitter-sweet ICC Cricket World Cup outing against New Zealand, as he reached a career milestone of 150 international wickets but also entered the record books for the wrong reasons.
In what was a must-win match against the Kiwis, Rauf took one wicket for 85 runs in 10 overs at an economy rate of 8.5. He claimed the wicket of batting all-rounder Daryl Mitchell. In 99 matches, Rauf now has 150 international wickets at an average of over 24 and a strike rate of 21.31, with his best bowling figures reading 5/18. The speedster has one Test wicket in one match, 66 ODI scalps in 36 matches at an average of 26.63 with best figures of 5/18. In T20Is, his preferred format, Rauf has 83 wickets in 62 matches at an average of 21.71, with the best figures of 4/18. Rauf's 1/85 against the Kiwis is also the second-most expensive spell by a Pakistan bowler in World Cup history, with Shaheen Afridi at the top after a wicketless spell on Saturday in which he gave away 90 runs. Rauf has also conceded 16 sixes in this World Cup, most by a bowler in a single edition of the tournament. This record was previously held by Zimbabwe's Tinashe Panyangara (15 in 2015). Rauf is having a nightmarish World Cup so far. Though he is the joint fifth highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 13 scalps in eight matches, his bowling average has shot up to 36.07 and strike rate to 31.84. His best bowling figures are 3/43. Though he has wickets in hand, he has been smashed around the park and wickets have been less frequent than previously for a bowler of his calibre. With their hopes of semifinal qualification literally hanging by a thread, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl first. With three wins and four losses, Pakistan is currently in the sixth position while NZ is at fourth with four wins and three losses. A do-oir-die clash for Pakistan, the match is also crucial for the Kiwis as a win will virtually secure them a place in the top-four. Riding on Rachin Ravindra's spectacular third WC ton (108 in 94 balls, with 15 fours and a six) and skipper Kane Williamson's (95 in 79 balls, with 10 fours and two sixes), New Zealand raced to its highest-ever World Cup total of 401/6. Middle order batters Glenn Phillips (41 in 25 balls with four boundaries and two sixes), Mark Chapman (39 in 27 balls with seven fours) and Daryl Mitchell (29 in 18 balls with four boundaries and a six) scored aggressively at the back-end to help New Zeraland set a humongous target for Pakistan. (ANI)
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