Haris Rauf

Haris Rauf is a Pakistani international cricketer who performs as a right-arm fast bowler for the national team. He represents Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League and plays first class cricket for Northern.

Early life and education

Rauf was born on 7 November 1993 in Rawalpindi into a working class family. His father worked as a welder for the Pakistan Public Works Department. Although he grew up near the Diamond Cricket Club in Islamabad, he never formally joined the institution. He attended the Islamabad Model College for Boys I-8/3, where he focused on football rather than cricket. He helped his school win the football trophy and earned recognition as the player of the tournament.

For his further education, Rauf enrolled in an IT program at the International Islamic University, Islamabad. Before he dedicated himself entirely to cricket, he worked in a mobile shop to earn money. He supplemented his income by playing tape-ball cricket with various teams that offered compensation. He began playing with a hard ball at the age of 23.

Career

Rauf joined the International Islamic University cricket team, which eventually led to a life-changing opportunity. His coach requested that he attend Lahore Qalandars trials in Gujranwala in September 2017. Although he was initially reluctant, he attended the trials and was spotted by head coach Aaqib Javed. The Qalandars provided him with a contract to nurture his potential. Standing at 5'11" and weighing 71 kg, he followed a structured training and diet plan under Javed. He later played for the Hawkesbury Cricket Club in Australia to aid his professional growth.

His domestic career began in 2018 when he was selected for the Lahore Qalandars for the Abu Dhabi T20 Trophy. He made his T20 debut against the Hobart Hurricanes in 2018. In March 2019, Rauf joined the Baluchistan squad for the Pakistan Cup, making his List A debut on 2 April 2019. He later joined Northern for the 2019–20 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and made his first-class debut on 28 September 2019. The Pakistan Cricket Board named him as one of six players to watch in October 2019.

Rauf gained international attention during the 2019-20 Big Bash League as a replacement for the injured Dale Steyn for the Melbourne Stars. On 8 January 2020, he took a hat-trick against the Sydney Thunder. He became the first Pakistani and the first Melbourne Stars bowler to achieve this feat in the BBL. During this period, he delivered a ball at 151.3 km/h. In December 2021, he signed with Yorkshire County Cricket Club for the 2022 English cricket season.

He made his international debut for Pakistan against Bangladesh in January 2020. The Pakistan Cricket Board awarded him a central contract in the Emerging Players' category in May 2020. While he was part of the squad for the tour to England in June 2020, he tested positive for COVID-19 and entered self-isolation. He returned to eligibility after testing negative on 30 July 2020. Rauf made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe on 30 October 2020 and later played in Test series against South Africa, Zimbabwe, the West Indies, and Australia.

In September 2021, he competed in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, where he took a four-wicket haul against New Zealand. He participated in the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup and the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. During the 2024–25 tour of Australia, Rauf took 10 wickets across three matches. His performance included a 5/29 in the second ODI at the Adelaide Oval. He has also been named in the squad for the 2025 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy.

Personal life

Rauf married his classmate Muzna Masood Malik on 23 December 2022. The couple held a traditional nikkah ceremony in Islamabad.

Awards and recognition

Rauf earned the Player of the Match award during Pakistan's second game of the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. He was named Player of the Series for his performance in the 2024–25 ODI series in Australia. In November 2025, he was declared Player of the Series again after taking 9 wickets during a home series against Sri Lanka.