Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf‘s central contract may be “restored” after a review by the legal team of the country’s Board, an official source in the PCB said on Monday. Rauf’s central contract was terminated two days before the start of Pakistan Super League for refusing to play in the three-Test series against Australia that they lost 0-3 in January. An official source in the PCB said the legal team was reviewing Rauf’s appeal which seeks the restoration of his central contract.
“There are chances that the appeal might be accepted, and his contract restored,” the source said.
Rauf is currently ruled out of the PSL with a dislocated shoulder. He sustained the injury during the third match of the PSL while playing for Lahore Qalandars.
After opting out of the Test series in Australia, Rauf went to play in the Big Bash around the same time.
But the PCB still included him for the five-match T20I series in New Zealand as the pacer last played for his country in the fourth match of the series in Christchurch.
The board while taking action also suspended issuance of NOCs to Haris for foreign leagues until June this year.
The source said Haris had submitted his appeal through his lawyer and given a complete statement, outlining his version of events that didn’t allow him to play in the Tests in Australia.
The PCB however is not happy with the comments made by one of Rauf’s PSL franchise owner Sameen Rana, according to the source.
Rana in an interview to a leading cricket website blasted the board for taking action against Rauf and said the timing of that announcement was unnecessary.
“Rauf’s our premier bowler, our highest wicket-taker after Shaheen Afridi. To publicly humiliate him and issue a press release announcing the termination of his central contract, I have never seen this happen anywhere,” Rana had said in the interview.
“I would never treat my employees like that. The employee at least has the right for you to call, email or message them. None of that happened with Rauf, and it was pathetic. It was really poor management,” Rana had added.
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