ICC T20 World Cup: Who is Pakistan batter Mohammad Haris?
Pakistan are set to take on New Zealand in the first semi-final of the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan would want to be all guns blazing. Accompanying them will be top-order batter Mohammad Haris, who recently made headlines with his hard-hitting knocks. Here, we decode his stats.
Haris replaced injured Fakhar Zaman
Haris came in as a replacement for injured batter Fakhar Zaman. The former made his international debut in an ODI against West Indies in June this year. A couple of months later, Haris made his T20I debut against England. Before the T20 WC, he had scored one T20I and four ODIs, scoring 18 runs. Haris has also played five Pakistan Super League (PSL) games.
His exploits in the T20 WC
Haris impressed with his 28-run cameo against South Africa in the T20 World Cup. He garnered praise for his audacious strokes against the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, and Lungi Ngidi. Haris faced just 11 balls and slammed 2 fours and 3 sixes. He continued his exploits against Bangladesh, having struck an 18-ball 31 (1 four, 2 sixes).
A look at his domestic numbers
Haris made his T20 debut in the 2021 National T20 Cup for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In 25 T20s, Haris has racked up 500 runs at an average of 22.72. The right-handed batter has a strike rate of 139.66. His tally includes a couple of half-centuries. Haris has struck 49 fours and 23 sixes in the format. He also owns 548 List A runs.
A thunderous start to the PSL
Much like the T20 World Cup, Haris made his PSL debut in the 2022 season, replacing Kamran Akmal, who tested COVID-19 positive. On his debut, Haris smashed 49 off 27 balls for Peshawar Zalmi against Karachi Kings. Haris retained his place even after Akmal returned to the XI. The former slammed another match-winning 32-ball 70 against Islamabad United to stake his claim.
A strike rate of 186.51 in PSL 2022
Haris finished the 2022 PSL season with 166 runs from five games. His strike rate of 186.51 was the highest by any top-order batter in PSL 2022. Overall, he had the fourth-highest strike rate among batters with five-plus matches.
Will Haris open against New Zealand?
Several experts have suggested that Haris should open alongside Rizwan against NZ. Haris, who took Rabada and Nortje to the cleaners in the Powerplay, could replicate it against Trent Boult and Tim Southee. This would release pressure from Rizwan, who takes time to settle. Pakistan skipper Babar, who is enduring a lean patch, can rather work the gaps in the middle overs.
