'You were amazing bud' - Dale Steyn applauds Haris Rauf for clocking 150 kph in BBL 2019-20

Pakistani pacer Haris Rauf is making the most of the opportunity in his debut Big Bash League (BBL) Down Under. The 26-year-old right-arm bowler who picked a fifer for Melbourne Stars in the very second game that he played, ended up picking a hat-trick against Sydney Thunder on Wednesday to give his side a fine win and bag the Man of the Match award. Rauf has so far played in only four of his team’s seven games but he has claimed 13 scalps in them to remain second in the list of wicket-takers in the tournament.

Rauf has produced the most eye-catching performance with the ball among the top 10 wicket-takers as he has given away only 94 runs for his 13 wickets at the best wicket of 5.88. Only the Thunder’s Daniel Sams (15 wickets in eight games) has a bigger tally than him. He has also been bowling express in the tournament and that has earned him accolades from Dale Steyn, his mate in the Stars and one of the greatest fast bowlers the game has seen.

Following his field day in the BBL, Steyn took to Twitter to praise the young Pakistani over his performance that included taking a hat-trick and clocking over 150 kmph besides picking the man of the match award. He responded to Rauf’s tweet in which the bowler congratulated himself and vowed to maintain the form in future. Rauf’s hat-trick was the second of the day as Adelaide Strikers’ Rashid Khan achieved the same feat against Sydney Sixers earlier in the day.

And you clocked that 150!
You were amazing bud! 🔥 https://t.co/UoShym3SSR

— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) January 9, 2020

Rauf’s performance in the BBL has brought him under special notice and even Pakistan bowling coach Waqar Younis conceded that he spoke with head coach-cum-chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq about accommodating Rauf in the national side’s bowling set-up.

Haris Rauf resorts to ‘adaab’ instead of slash-throat celebration

Rauf though courted controversy during the BBL when he started displaying a slash-throat celebration after dismissing batsmen. The act came under criticism, even from his Pakistan Super League coach aaqib Javed, and on Wednesday, as Rauf took his hat-trick in the final over, he was seen making an ‘adaab’ (salute) gesture.