Hamilton, March 21, 2025 – Haris Rauf roared into Pakistan’s cricketing annals, claiming his 200th international wicket in a pulsating third T20I against New Zealand, steering his side to a dramatic victory. The fiery pacer’s milestone moment came in the 19th over when he clean-bowled Michael Bracewell, sparking wild celebrations at Seddon Park.
Rauf’s spellbinding 3-29 in four overs dismantled the Kiwi batting lineup, with Tim Seifert and Ish Sodhi also falling to his unrelenting pace. His heroics, paired with a stunning catch earlier in the game, capped a night where he joined Pakistan’s pantheon of bowling greats as the 24th player to breach the 200-wicket mark. Legends like Wasim Akram (916) and Waqar Younis (789) headline the elite club, with Rauf now rubbing shoulders alongside contemporaries Shaheen Shah Afridi (345) and Hasan Ali (240). Haris Rauf Etches Name in History with 200th Wicket
Since his debut in 2020, Rauf has been a linchpin in Pakistan’s pace battery, particularly in white-ball cricket, boasting a strike rate of 20.59. His 201st wicket followed swiftly, leaving New Zealand reeling at 204 in 19.5 overs. Pakistan’s chase, powered by Hasan Nawaz’s late blitz, sealed a nail-biting win to keep the series alive.
Shaheen Shah Afridi and Abrar Ahmed chipped in with two scalps each, but the night belonged to Rauf, whose fiery spell and acrobatic fielding lit up Hamilton. As Pakistan gear up for the next clash, their pace spearhead stands taller, a milestone notched, and a legacy in the making.
