India vs Pakistan in the Asia Cup—it doesn’t get bigger than this. Forget the hype, forget the promos, the match itself is always a storm of nerves, skill, and split-second decisions. And when former Pakistan speedster Wahab Riaz says, “Haris Rauf has to come back against India,” fans can’t help but sit up and pay attention. After all, Wahab knows exactly what it feels like to bowl under the spotlight of a billion eyes. But is Haris really the missing piece in Pakistan’s bowling puzzle? Let’s break it down.
The Fast Bowling Argument: Why Haris Rauf Matters
Pakistan without pace is like biryani without spice—it just doesn’t taste right. Wahab Riaz made it crystal clear that going in with four spinners against India would be a tactical disaster. And he has a point. India’s top order—Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli—are absolute nightmares for spin-heavy attacks. Give them too many overs of slow bowling, and they’ll milk it dry before exploding.
That’s where Haris Rauf enters the conversation. He’s raw pace, he’s hostility, and when he’s in rhythm, he’s unplayable in the death overs. Pairing him with Shaheen Afridi could give Pakistan that lethal left-right pace combo to unsettle India early. Wahab basically said it’s not a question of if Haris should play, but who makes way for him. That’s the kind of selection headache every team secretly loves to have.
Batting Order Jigsaw: Where Should Fakhar Zaman Bat?
It’s not just the bowling, though. Pakistan’s batting order is giving fans and experts enough to argue about over chai. Against Oman, Mohammad Haris Rauf came in at number three and looked comfortable, but it pushed Fakhar Zaman down to number four. Wahab wasn’t too happy about that, and honestly, he makes a fair point. Fakhar is a powerplay monster—give him six overs of fielding restrictions, and he can tilt the game in Pakistan’s favor.
The tricky bit is balance. Haris loves batting high, Sahibzada Farhan deserves a run, and Fakhar needs time to unleash. Someone has to compromise. And against India, these calls are magnified tenfold. If Pakistan wants to maximize Fakhar’s impact, he probably needs to be back in the top three. Otherwise, they risk wasting one of their biggest match-winners.
Hassan Nawaz: Nerves or the New Middle-Order Rock?
Now, let’s talk about the most exciting (and nerve-wracking) prospect—Hassan Nawaz. The young power-hitter has been Pakistan’s answer to the long-standing middle-order puzzle. Six-hitting? Check. Confidence? Check. But here’s the catch—Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy aren’t going to make life easy for him. We’ve already seen Rashid Khan trouble him in the past, so this is the real test.
If Hassan can survive those tricky overs, Pakistan suddenly looks like a different team. Imagine him soaking up the pressure, then exploding in the last five overs—it’s exactly what Pakistan have lacked for years. Wahab admitted nerves will play a role, but if Hassan can keep calm, his knock could decide the match more than any bowler.
FAQs
- Why does Wahab Riaz want Haris Rauf back in the XI?
Because Haris Rauf’s pace adds balance and threat against India’s strong batting lineup.
- What is the main concern with Pakistan’s current bowling attack?
They are spin-heavy, which could be risky against India’s top-order players.
- Why is Fakhar Zaman’s batting position debated?
Wahab believes Fakhar should bat in the power play to maximize his destructive potential.
